Two United Nations staff members were released from detention in Afghanistan on Thursday morning. The men had been held by Taliban authorities in the western city of Herat since August 9.

While the release has been confirmed, details regarding the specific reasons for their initial detention or the circumstances surrounding their release remain limited. The Taliban administration has not provided a public explanation for why the staff members were taken into custody, nor have they commented on the negotiations or conditions that led to their release.

International organizations operating in Afghanistan have faced an increasingly complex environment since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The detention of aid workers and international staff has been a recurring point of tension between the de facto government and the international community. The United Nations has previously called for the protection of its personnel and the ability to carry out humanitarian work without interference or the threat of arbitrary detention. As of now, the UN has not issued a detailed statement regarding the health or status of the two men following their release.