Latest News
Khalilzad: Lots of rights violations around the world, and it’s not just responsibility of US forces
There are lots of violations of human rights around the world, and it’s not just the responsibility of the US forces, Zalmay Khalilzad, former US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, said on Thursday.
Khalilzad made the remarks at at a Republican-led House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.
Democrat Kathy Manning said she was “shocked” by the 2020 deal and accused Khalilzad of playing a hand in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) victory, saying they “gave up all the leverage” with the landmark agreement.
Manning particularly emphasised the deal’s failure to include any conditions on the status of women.
“I certainly cannot see any protection of Afghan women and girls [in the Doha Agreement] … Apparently, the protection of women and girls was not important to President Trump,” Manning said.
Khalilzad argued that the status of women in Afghanistan was meant to be included in US-supported, intra-Afghan negotiations after a withdrawal and the establishment of a shared government.
“The key issue for you and for our other leaders is whether achieving the goals that you outline on women should have been a precondition or withdrawal … there are lots of violations of human rights around the world, and it’s not just the responsibility of the US forces,” Khalilzad said.
Keith Self, a Republican, called it “naive to think the Taliban (IEA) was ever going to live up to anything”.
“Over a span of 20 years dealing with a region, this entire process that we’ve heard today is extremely naive, and, sir, I find you in the middle of it,” Self told Khalilzad.
Khalilzad repeatedly emphasised that the ultimate blame for the demise of American goals in a postwar Afghanistan rested with Ashraf Ghani’s government.
“I will put the responsibility for what happened largely on the shoulders of the Afghan government leadership for not standing for their government, for their system and for the values that they said they had,” he told the committee.
But he conceded that Washington’s calculations were clearly wrong on the direction a postwar Afghanistan would take.
“The assumption was, it turned out to be wrong, that the government would not collapse, that it would have more forces, weapons, more international standing, more money,” he said.
Khalilzad has previously said that he believes Washington did not put enough pressure on Ghani to share power with the IEA.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
The Islamic Emirate has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming meeting of special envoys of regional countries on Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Tehran, despite having received an invitation.
In a statement, Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Islamic Emirate has maintained continuous and active engagement with all regional countries through various organizations, regional formats, and bilateral mechanisms, achieving notable progress in promoting mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
The statement added that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes regional cooperation should be advanced by strengthening existing mechanisms and formats within the region.
Tehran is set to host the meeting next week, with special envoys from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia expected to attend.
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
Saar: Iran’s regional meeting on Afghanistan discussed
ACL: Jawanan Perozi 1-0 Arman FC; Abu Muslim Farah 2-0 Sarsabz Yashlar
Continued aid to Afghanistan vital for regional security: Kazakh president
Islamic Emirate declines to attend Tehran meeting on Afghanistan
Sirajuddin Haqqani: A government that intimidates its people is not a true government
Pakistan will lose big market in both Afghanistan, Central Asia: Sarhadi
Afghanistan records $580m in fruit exports in six months
Tashkent: Central Asian leaders say regional stability hinges on Afghanistan
Afghan Abdalyan beat Sri Lanka A by 3 wickets in Rising Stars Asia Cup opener
Afghanistan U19 cricket team defeats India A U19
Saar: Iran’s regional meeting on Afghanistan discussed
Saar: Calls to avoid using Afghan soil against nations
Tahawol: UNSC meeting outcome regarding Afghanistan discussed
Saar: Ongoing Kabul–Islamabad tensions discussed
Tahawol: Pakistan’s warning on Afghanistan reiterated
-
Latest News2 days agoMuttaqi: Afghanistan’s progress requires both religious and modern education
-
Sport4 days agoILT20: Desert Vipers edge Gulf Giants in historic super over thriller
-
Regional5 days agoSix Pakistani soldiers killed in TTP attack in Kurram District
-
Business4 days agoTrade bodies warn almost 11,000 Afghan transit containers stuck at Karachi port
-
World5 days agoPowerful 7.6 earthquake hits northern Japan, tsunami warnings issued
-
Latest News4 days agoTrump calls Afghanistan a ‘hellhole’ country as US expands immigration restrictions
-
Sport3 days agoCommanding wins for Arman FC and Sarsabz Yashlar in Afghanistan Champions League
-
World5 days agoUkraine to share revised peace plan with US on Tuesday, Zelenskiy says