Afghan Ex-Special Forces Member’s Death in ICE Custody Ruled Accidental

DID Press: Medical authorities in the US state of Texas have ruled the death of Mohammad Nazir Paktiawal, a former Afghan special forces member who died while in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, as an accident.

According to his death certificate, the 41-year-old died after suffering an anaphylactic shock caused by a severe allergic reaction to an unidentified substance, which aggravated his pre-existing asthma. He died in a Dallas hospital on March 14, one day after being taken into ICE custody.

The case has drawn significant attention because of Paktiawal’s previous service alongside US special forces in Afghanistan and unanswered questions surrounding the exact cause of his death.

The advocacy organization AfghanEvac and several US lawmakers have called for the release of the full autopsy report, arguing that his family has the right to know what substance triggered the fatal allergic reaction.

Paktiawal was evacuated to the United States following the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, and his asylum application was still pending when ICE officers arrested him at his home in Richardson, Texas, on March 13 to begin deportation proceedings.

ICE said he had been detained on allegations of food assistance fraud and theft, although he had not been convicted in either case.

According to the agency, Paktiawal initially reported no medical conditions or allergies upon arrival at the detention facility. Hours later, he developed shortness of breath and chest pain and was transferred to hospital. The following morning, after experiencing severe tongue swelling while eating breakfast, he was administered epinephrine, but medical efforts to save his life were unsuccessful.

The death certificate also listed methamphetamine toxicity, heart disease, and tobacco use as contributing factors. However, Paktiawal’s family disputes the finding of methamphetamine exposure, saying a second autopsy was unable to confirm or refute it because no blood samples were available.

Dallas County authorities have so far declined to release the complete autopsy report, citing an ongoing federal investigation.