The relatives of Matthew VanDyke, an American mercenary who was taken into custody by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) in March 2026, have formally appealed for urgent diplomatic intervention from the United States government to secure his release. On August 30, Sons of Liberty International (SOLI) released a public statement stating that VanDyke’s family is actively pushing for diplomatic rescue, asserting that his physical health is worsening significantly while behind bars.

Family of Detained Mercenary Demands US Diplomatic Action Over Claims of ‘Unlawful Custody’, Refusal of Private Medical Care, and Severed Family Contact

Sons of Liberty International has sought to present Matthew VanDyke simply as an American citizen and head of a non-governmental organization who is enduring unlawful detention under Indian authorities. His relatives and the organization expressed deep grievance over his current situation inside Delhi’s Tihar Jail, alleging that he has been deprived of vital prescription drugs and barred from regular communication with his kin.

“Family of Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, United States citizen, NGO director, seek urgent US diplomatic intervention after his illegal detention at Kolkata airport on March 11th, and transfer from NIA headquarters April 6th with an injured leg, diminished eyesight, as well as being denied his prescription meds, and communication with family. Presently detained at Tihar jail 8/9,” the official release stated.

The organization further pointed out that a Delhi court turned down VanDyke’s formal plea to seek medical care at a private hospital facility and rejected his request for regular access to his family based in the United States. The organization criticized the judicial decisions that disallowed both specialized healthcare and contact with his household.

The statement deliberately focuses on an emotional appeal, repeatedly highlighting VanDyke’s declining physical state and the lack of communication with his elderly mother.

“Advocates Rohit Dandriyal and Rohit Gour, his legal counsel, applied to the Delhi Court for Matthew’s medical treatment at a private hospital and for proper communication to be established with his family, who reside in the U.S.. His mother who is over 80, was only allowed a 5-minute emergency call with him months ago! However, the Delhi Court denied both application requests on June 1st alleging foreign government communications. Matthew was too weak to stand or walk during a court appearance, and utilizes a wheelchair to meet with his attorneys,” the statement further added.

US Diplomatic Envoy Sergio Gor Held Discussions with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Secretary of State Marco Rubio Regarding VanDyke’s Detention

The communication shared via VanDyke’s social media account on X claims that US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor presented a detailed briefing to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri regarding VanDyke’s legal status during Rubio’s official trip to India in May. The release also noted that VanDyke had launched a hunger strike while in detention.

“Ambassador Gor previously briefed Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Secretary Rubio on Matthew’s situation during his visit to Delhi, India May 24-26,” the statement noted.

In an effort to speed up his return, VanDyke’s family members have been directly engaging with Washington’s political establishment, including congressional representatives and officials within the US Department of State, to push for his release from Tihar Jail.

“Matthew’s mother Sharon Van Dyke, and Gia Santos spokesperson for the family visited DC June 1-3 and again July 8/9th to speak with Congressional offices, and the State Department. Judicial custody extension is through Sept 8th. The family seeks urgent US diplomatic intervention. It is time to bring Matthew Van Dyke back home,” the release explained.

His mother made a direct appeal to the authorities: “This is a humanitarian emergency for our family. Matthew has spent his life documenting human suffering and supporting people in crisis. We are pleading for his safe return home.”

VanDyke’s Incarceration in Tihar Jail Stems from Militancy and Terror-Related Offenses, Not Non-Profit Activism

Despite efforts by SOLI and his household to depict him merely as a charity head facing unlawful confinement, VanDyke remains remanded in judicial custody for orchestrating and executing a plan to enlist and instruct anti-India elements for terrorist operations against the nation.

On March 13, Indian law enforcement apprehended VanDyke along with six Ukrainian nationals after the group made unauthorized entry into Mizoram without the required travel clearances and crossed over illegally into Myanmar. Once there, they established direct ties with outlawed militant factions, supplying them with lethal military equipment—including surveillance and attack drones and specialized warfare hardware—while providing tactical military instruction.

Investigating agencies determined that VanDyke and his associates transported a substantial cache of drones sourced from Europe across Indian territory. The probe revealed that while the accused individuals had arrived in India on legitimate visas, they deliberately travelled to Mizoram without obtaining the mandatory Restricted Area Permit (RAP).

Interrogations conducted by the National Investigation Agency revealed that the foreign nationals admitted to maintaining direct operational contact with militants seen carrying AK-47 assault rifles. The agency found that a group of 14 Ukrainian citizens first arrived in India on tourist visas, subsequently journeyed to Guwahati, and then moved into Mizoram. They provided tactical combat training to local ethnic armed militias, crossed into Myanmar through illicit routes, and facilitated the logistical transfer of European drone shipments to militant networks.

VanDyke and the co-accused face formal charges of criminal conspiracy alongside several provisions under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), as the comprehensive investigation continues.

A Career on the Frontlines: From Film Adventurer to Professional Combat Trainer

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1981, Matthew Aaron VanDyke spent time as a prisoner of war in Libya after enlisting directly in the armed rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi. Prior to transitioning into an active combatant and military instructor across conflict zones, he operated as an adventure filmmaker and motorcycle traveler.

His journey began with extensive solo motorbike expeditions across North Africa and the Middle East, covering regions from Morocco to Syria and Turkey. In doing so, he became the only US citizen to ride a motorcycle across Libya during the rule of Muammar Gaddafi. He later spent significant time living in Iraq, embedding as a war correspondent alongside US armed forces deployed in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2010, VanDyke embarked on an overland motorcycle journey through Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan with photographer Daniel Britt. Visual material recorded during these travels formed the basis of his 2014 documentary Point and Shoot. Over the course of his assignments in Iraq, he was held in detention more than 20 times and faced formal espionage accusations from Iranian authorities.

With the onset of the Libyan Civil War, VanDyke shifted from documenting the conflict to actively enlisting with anti-Gaddafi rebel units. Following active combat engagements, he was captured by Gaddafi’s security forces and spent nearly six months in solitary confinement before escaping and returning directly to the frontlines. During his captivity, the Libyan government broadcast his interrogation on state television, accusing him of operating as an intelligence asset for the CIA with advanced espionage gear.

Between 2012 and 2014, VanDyke moved to Aleppo, Syria, where he directed and produced the short documentary Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution. He financed the film independently to mobilize international public and political backing for anti-Assad insurgent groups.

In 2014, following the public executions of his colleagues and American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff by ISIS militants, VanDyke founded Sons of Liberty International. Although registered as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable entity, the organization functions as a private security and military consulting firm.

SOLI openly provides complimentary military instruction, logistics, and tactical consulting to designated populations confronting armed extremist organizations and authoritarian states. The firm's first major field mission involved training the Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU), an Assyrian Christian militia fighting against ISIS in Iraq.

VanDyke and SOLI later redirected significant resources toward advising, drilling, and supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the war with Russia.

In an interview with Newsweek, VanDyke outlined the scope of his training operations: “I can bring in 10 or 20 of my guys, and we can train thousands of Ukrainians very quickly and very competently. And we can also train Ukrainians to become trainers themselves, so that Ukraine can tap into all the manpower it has. Because they’re not allowing men of military age to leave the country, they have a reserve of millions of potential soldiers, but they have no way to train them.”

In addition to his European and Middle Eastern operations, VanDyke has claimed direct participation in American efforts aimed at regime change in Venezuela. His online history reflects a strong ideological commitment—grounded in his personal Christian convictions—supporting ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) in Myanmar as well as dissident efforts against the Iranian government.

VanDyke’s operational movements have been documented across numerous global regions: Ukraine, Venezuela, the Philippines, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt, Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco, Jordan, Turkey, Spain, and most recently through India into Myanmar.

This sequence of field missions reflects an evident operational pattern, placing VanDyke on the ground in nearly every conflict hub where Washington maintains critical foreign policy interests, with Ukraine serving as the central theater.

His operations near Myanmar correspond closely with broader geopolitical friction points. The ruling Myanmar military junta, known as the Tatmadaw, receives steady diplomatic and defense support from both Moscow and Beijing, alongside regular Russian crude oil supplies. Consequently, Western strategic interests benefit from strengthening anti-junta resistance factions to tie down Russian military resources and exert pressure on Moscow's international commitments.

Historical reports indicate that VanDyke failed a Central Intelligence Agency polygraph test several years ago. While he consistently rejects claims of any formal association with the CIA, his sustained operations in geopolitically sensitive territories indicate that his work extends far beyond standard humanitarian non-profit endeavors.