Duncan Hunter

Khaama Press
December 3, 2015

The Haqqani terrorist network that is allied with the Taliban holds an American national as a hostage.

The Daily Beast, an American-based news reporting and opinion website quotes a top congressman, Duncan Hunter, as revealing that ‘There are still Americans in captivity in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.’

According The Daily Beast, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), a leading critic in Congress of the Obama administration’s hostage rescue and recovery policies, has written this in a public letter to President Obama.

No specific number of the hostages has been mentioned in the report but citing U.S. officials and others familiar with the case it does talk about a specific individual that has been in captivity of militants for over a year and left unreported.

The Daily Beast is not publishing the man’s name or many details about him at the request of his family and administration and law enforcement officials, who are concerned for his safety. The man is said to be held by the Haqqani network, a Taliban-aligned group that operates along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The report further states that  the only other American known to be held in that region is Caitlin Coleman, who was kidnapped along with her husband, Joshua Boyle, a Canadian citizen, while traveling in Afghanistan in 2012. Coleman had a child while in captivity, multiple U.S. officials have said.

While Hunter’s letter mentions no American hostages by name, a spokesperson for the congressman told The Daily Beast that by “Americans” the lawmaker is referring to “all Americans,” including Coleman, her child, and the American man being held.

U.S. and other sources knowledgeable about Coleman and her family’s case told The Daily Beast that they believe she, her husband, and their child are also alive and well. The family is also believed to be held by the Haqqani.

Coleman and Boyle have appeared in a video asking their governments to work for their release.

However, no reports have been released on what the group wants in exchange for the release.

Taliban had released a U.S. soldier Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for five of their men from Guantanamo Bay.