US Envoy Accuses Taliban of Using ‘Hostage Diplomacy’

DID Press: Mike Waltz, US representative at the UNSC, has accused the Taliban of using “hostage diplomacy” by detaining foreign nationals and restricting the rights of Afghan citizens.

Speaking during a Security Council session on the situation in Afghanistan, Waltz said the Taliban’s policies have deepened the country’s humanitarian and economic crises.

He added that strict limitations on women’s rights, reduced access to essential services, and interference in the delivery of international aid demonstrate that the Taliban are not prepared to cooperate with the global community.

The U.S. envoy also referred to the detention of American citizens in Afghanistan, saying the group uses such arrests as a tool for political leverage.

Waltz stressed that the people of Afghanistan deserve full access to fundamental human rights and responsible governance from the authorities in power.