Twenty-three Afghan women’s protest movements have jointly written to United States President Donald Trump, demanding the prosecution of Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation.
They accuse Khalilzad of enabling the Taliban’s return to power and contributing to the oppression of Afghan women.
In their letter, the women’s rights groups allege that Khalilzad acted not as a neutral diplomat but as a “traitorous agent” who helped transform the Taliban from a proscribed terrorist organisation into a recognised political force. They argue that his efforts to legitimise the group laid the groundwork for the Taliban’s return to power and the current repression of women in Afghanistan.
The signatories claim that Khalilzad’s policies directly led to the systematic stripping of women’s basic rights, including access to education, work, and participation in public life. They assert that his actions are responsible for what they describe as the Taliban’s reign of oppression and humiliation against Afghan women.
The groups have also called on the US State Department to launch a full investigation into Khalilzad’s role in the fall of Afghanistan. They urge American authorities to ensure he is prosecuted in a court of law and prevented from having any future influence on US policy towards Afghanistan.
The protest groups highlight Khalilzad’s repeated assurances that the Taliban had changed and would respect human rights, which they say have proven false. They cite the Taliban’s continuing repression, the exclusion of women from public life, and the resurgence of extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS in Afghanistan.
The women’s groups argue that these developments confirm the failure of Khalilzad’s diplomatic approach and represent a betrayal of American and Afghan values. They blame his strategy for endangering Afghan lives and undermining the freedoms once gained by Afghan women.
The letter follows Khalilzad’s recent visit to Kabul as part of a US delegation, during which he met with Taliban officials, including Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. This marked the first official visit by a US delegation to Afghanistan since the US withdrawal in August 2021.
Shortly after this visit, American citizen George Glezmann was released from Taliban custody. The women’s rights groups argue that Khalilzad’s renewed engagement with the Taliban raises fresh concerns about US legitimisation of the group.
In the letter, the protest groups stress that Khalilzad’s decisions have had devastating consequences—not only for Afghanistan but also for the United States, citing the deaths of American soldiers and Afghan civilians during the chaotic withdrawal.
They describe Afghanistan under Taliban rule as a “prison” for millions, especially women, and insist that Khalilzad be held accountable. They call for justice through US legal channels and urge the international community to acknowledge and condemn what they describe as the destructive outcomes of Khalilzad’s policies.
