Taliban Releases Two Detained UN Staff Members

The Government of Afghanistan released two national staff members of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Thursday morning. The employees had been detained on August 9 in Herat by officials from the Taliban's General Directorate of Intelligence.

United Nations officials confirmed the men are in good health and that charges against them have been dropped. However, the specific reasons for the initial arrests remain unclear. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that the organization is following up with the de facto authorities to ensure the safety, security, and freedom of movement of UN personnel, as well as respect for their privileges and immunities.

This incident occurs amid a broader pattern of detentions in the country. Human Rights Watch recently reported the forcible disappearance of six staff members from the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation since July 18.