Heartwarming homecoming for American held in captivity for over a year in Afghanistan

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Dennis Coyle speaks with family and friends as he arrives at Kelly Field at Joint Base San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas, on March 25, 2026. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP via Getty Images)

The American man released by the Afghanistan government after more than a year in captivity is back on U.S. soil where loved ones were on hand to greet him.

Big picture view:

Dennis Coyle, 64, arrived at Joint Base San Antonio, in Texas, on Wednesday morning where family and friends were waiting to welcome him as he got off the plane. Images from the reunion show the heartwarming scene that included a kiss from Coyle’s mother.

Dennis Coyle (R) embraces his mother as he arrives at Kelly Field at Joint Base San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas, on March 25, 2026. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP via Getty Images)

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The backstory:

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of State announced Coyle’s release after approximately 14 months in captivity. 

In January 2025, Coyle was detained without charges by Taliban intelligence at his Kabul home and held in near-solitary confinement, Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler told Fox News.

Prior to his arrest, Coyle had been living in Afghanistan for more than two decades as an academic researcher supporting language communities, FOX News reported.

Boehler stated Coyle had never committed a crime and his detention was being used by the Taliban-led government as leverage.

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Dig deeper:

The State Department also used the announcement of Coyle’s release to renew calls for Afghanistan to release other detained Americans, including Mahmood Habibi and Paul Overby.

Its statement ended by asserting the Taliban "must end their practice of hostage diplomacy."