Australian Jibra'il Omar dies in Afghanistan after surviving Taliban captivity

Jibra'il Omar, previously known as Timothy Weeks, was an Australian citizen who gained international attention following his kidnapping by the Taliban in 2016 while working at the American University in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was held captive for over three years, during which he endured extreme hardships including beatings, malnourishment, and solitary confinement. In 2019, he was released in a prisoner exchange involving three high-ranking members of the Haqqani Network, an armed group linked to the Taliban. After his release, Omar immersed himself in Afghan culture, converting to Islam and adopting his new name, Jibra'il Omar. He returned to Afghanistan in 2022, a year after the Taliban regained control, expressing a deep connection to the country and its people. His journey from captivity to acceptance demonstrated a profound transformation, as he openly admired the resilience of his captors and aimed to complete his journey in Afghanistan. Tragically, he died of cancer in Afghanistan at the age of 55. Following his passing, Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban official who was also involved in the prisoner exchange, shared his grief on social media, reflecting on the bond that had formed between them during their shared experiences of captivity and escape. Haqqani's tribute highlighted Omar's transformation from a foreign hostage into a beloved member of Afghan society, underscoring the complexities of his story and the remarkable, albeit painful, circumstances that shaped his life in Afghanistan.