Khaama: Shawn VanDiver, president of the refugee advocacy group AfghanEvac, has sharply criticized former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad for endorsing an Eid message by Taliban Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund. While Khalilzad remains a vocal commentator on Afghan affairs, his perceived closeness to the Taliban continues to raise alarms among Afghan diaspora communities and human
Afghanistan International: Dozens of Afghan women’s civil society organisations have demanded that international bodies launch legal proceedings against Cheryl Benard, wife of former US special representative Zalmay Khalilzad, for comments they say downplayed the Taliban’s gender-based repression. Benard, an author and researcher, recently asserted that Afghan women have not been excluded from society, continue to
Khaama: Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, has issued a stern warning in response to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan. He emphasized that supporting terrorism leads to catastrophic consequences. Khalilzad’s comments appear to indirectly address Islamabad’s alleged policies that have been linked to supporting militant groups in the region. Click here to
Afghanistan International: Zalmay Khalilzad, former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, has expressed concern that Pakistani institutions may be using the ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees as a cover to transfer Islamic State (ISIS) militants into Afghanistan. In a post published on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Khalilzad wrote: “Knowledgeable people tell me that they
Michael Hughes: As relations between Iran and Afghanistan grow warmer, the U.S. has put efforts to boost ties with the Taliban into overdrive. The FBI removed Haqqani Network bounties and diplomatic rapprochement is in full swing. Ex-envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is suddenly back on the scene – no doubt in a bid to ensure the radical
The Independent (UK): Donald Trump could once again turn to his ally Zalmay Khalilzad, the chief architect of the Doha Deal, as his Afghanistan go-between. Some experts fear that would be a mistake, as Arpan Rai reports. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban states that the U.S. Special Envoy for Prisoner Affairs and former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, visited Kabul and held talks with Amir Khan Muttaqi regarding the release of prisoners. Zia Ahmad Takal, Deputy Spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the meeting
Tolo News: Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, welcomed this and emphasized that the operations of these media outlets, especially Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, should be reviewed. He wrote on X: “Those who closely follow those programs report that, far from supporting US policy, several of their country focused programs appear
Afghanistan International: Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, has responded to reports of meetings between Pakistani intelligence officials and Afghan political leaders in Türkiye, warning them against becoming pawns of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Khalilzad stated that Pakistan’s security apparatus is likely attempting to use these leaders as leverage in negotiations with
Ariana: He said the recent meeting of the US delegation with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new Syrian ruler, in Damascus was a positive step. “Not that prematurely engaging doesn’t have risks,” Khalilzad said. “But I think there is an element of timing, of shaping things.” He added that Syria is “more strategically important” to the United