The American professor Kevin King, kidnapped together with his Australian colleague Timothy Weekes in front of the American University of Kabul last August 7, is in very serious condition.
In a statement, the Taliban said Kevin King has a "dangerous heart and kidney disease" and assured that the situation is getting worse despite having periodically tried to cure the hostage, but since they live in war conditions and not they can easily have access to health facilities, are unable to guarantee adequate assistance and add that "if (the US) insists on delaying the resolution of this problem and Kevin King's illness becomes irreversible, or if he dies, the Islamic Emirate cannot be held responsible". Last January, the Taliban released a video in which the two hostages asked the US government to negotiate with the kidnappers, explaining that the insurgents were asking, in exchange for their release, for the release of their fighters held in Afghan prisons, including that of Bagram.