Washington, March 10 : The United States designated Afghanistan as a â??State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,â?? with Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing the Taliban of detaining Americans and other foreign nationals to extract concessions.

Announcing the move, Rubio said Washington would not tolerate what he described as hostage diplomacy by the Taliban authorities.

â??Today, I am designating Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,â?? Rubio said.

He accused the Taliban of detaining individuals to force political leverage.

â??The Taliban continues to use terrorist tactics, kidnapping individuals for ransom or to seek policy concessions. These despicable tactics need to end,â?? Rubio said.

The designation is meant to highlight the continued detention of Americans in Afghanistan and raise pressure on the Taliban leadership to release them.

Rubio said the situation also underscores the dangers facing Americans who attempt to travel to the country.

â??It is not safe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan because the Taliban continues to unjustly detain our fellow Americans and other foreign nationals,â?? he said.

The secretary specifically called for the immediate release of several detainees.

â??The Taliban needs to release Dennis Coyle, Mahmoud Habibi, and all Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan now and commit to cease the practice of hostage diplomacy forever,â?? Rubio said.

The State Department statement framed the move as part of a broader effort to deter governments or authorities that detain foreigners to gain political leverage. US officials have repeatedly warned that Americans travelling to countries with limited diplomatic relations face a heightened risk of arbitrary detention.

The designation also signals a hardening stance by Washington toward the Taliban authorities, who have governed Afghanistan since their takeover of Kabul in August 2021. The United States does not formally recognise the Taliban government but continues to engage through limited diplomatic channels on humanitarian and security issues.

/IANS