US secretary of state Marco Rubio welcomed the release of Amir Amiry, saying it marked the administration's determination, reinforced by Donald Trump's recent executive order, to protect American nationals from wrongful detention abroad. While this marks an important step forward, additional Americans remain unjustly detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will not rest until all our captive citizens are back home.
There are reports of severe disruption in other parts of the country, including the northern provinces of Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan and Takhar. The Taliban leadership has not provided an official explanation, however a spokesperson for the governor of Balkh stated that the decision was taken to "prevent immorality." But many experts suspect the Islamic fundamentalist group wants to block critical content and preempt potential protests.
The death toll from a massive earthquake in Afghanistan last week has nearly doubled to 2,205 as rescue workers manage to access the remote mountainous area devastated by the disaster. Hamdullah Fitrat, a spokesman for the Taliban-led government who gave the updated casualty figures on September 4, said deliveries of first aid and emergency supplies are "ongoing" as volunteers and rescue workers negotiate treacherous terrain to reach villages where people remain trapped in the rubble.