Former Afghan Special Forces Soldier Dies in US Immigration Detention, Drawing Democrats' Criticism

Mohammad Nazir Paktyawal, a former Afghan Special Forces soldier who worked alongside US troops since 2005, died in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Texas.

ICE confirmed the death in a statement, saying Paktyawal, an Afghan asylum seeker, complained of shortness of breath and chest pain. He was immediately transferred to a hospital and received respiratory treatment.

The Democrats on the US House Foreign Affairs Committee issued a report criticizing the Trump administration over Paktyawal's death. The report stated sarcastically: "He fought alongside American soldiers in Afghanistan and was brought to the United States by America, but ultimately died in a detention center of the immigration agency in Texas."

Paktyawal had been evacuated to the US with his family in 2021 after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. His asylum case was ongoing, and he worked at an Afghan bakery.

Reuters reported that Paktyawal was the 12th person to die in ICE custody this year, following a record 31 deaths last year, the highest in two decades. ICE plays a central role in implementing the US mass deportation policy for immigrants.