The Enduring Presence Of Hu1s In Afghanistan's Complex Conflict

The US and its allies withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, leaving behind military equipment and weaponry worth billions of dollars. The Taliban now has access to Humvees, trucks, armoured fighting vehicles, artillery, helicopters, tanks, drones, and ammunition. This has equipped the Taliban better than ever before to enforce its repressive rule and resist adversaries. The US has shifted its position to pragmatic engagement in Afghanistan, focusing on humanitarian aid and targeted assistance to meet basic human needs and prevent economic collapse.

The US and the Taliban signed the Doha Agreement, which led to the withdrawal of US and Allied forces from Afghanistan

The US and the Taliban signed the Doha Agreement, also known as the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan, on February 29, 2020, in Doha, Qatar. The agreement was signed by US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's top political leader. This agreement led to the withdrawal of US and other NATO forces from Afghanistan.

The Doha Agreement was the result of nine rounds of discussions and was aimed at ending the 2001-2021 war in Afghanistan. The agreement addressed four main issues: reducing violence, withdrawing foreign troops, starting intra-Afghan negotiations, and guaranteeing Afghanistan would not become a refuge for terrorists.

As part of the agreement, the US committed to reducing its troops in Afghanistan from 13,000 to 8,600 within 135 days, followed by a full withdrawal within 14 months if the Taliban kept its commitments. The US also agreed to close five military bases within 135 days and end economic sanctions on the Taliban by August 27, 2020. In return, the Taliban pledged to prevent any group or individual, including Al-Qaida, from using Afghan soil to threaten the security of the US and its allies, and to engage in intra-Afghan negotiations with other Afghan groups to form a post-settlement government.

The intra-Afghan negotiations were scheduled to begin on March 10, 2020, in Oslo, Norway. However, disputes over prisoner releases and the composition of the Afghan government negotiating team caused delays. The negotiations eventually began as planned on March 10, but tensions between the Afghan government and the Taliban persisted, and the Taliban walked out of the prisoner swap talks on April 7, 2020, describing them as "fruitless."

Despite these challenges, the US started withdrawing some troops on March 1, 2020, and completed its full evacuation on August 30, 2021, as the Taliban took control of the country by force. The withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan allowed the Taliban to seize power, culminating in the fall of Kabul on August 15, 2021.

The Doha Agreement has been criticized for being “flawed" and having "disastrous" outcomes for Afghans. The Taliban has been accused of not fulfilling its commitments under the agreement, including engaging in meaningful dialogue with fellow Afghans and forming an inclusive government. The US has also been criticized for withdrawing its forces before the right circumstances were in place and for not doing enough to protect Afghanistan once US military forces left.

The Taliban's rapid sweep through Afghanistan saw them gain billions of dollars' worth of US military equipment

The Taliban's rapid sweep through Afghanistan saw them gain control of billions of dollars' worth of US military equipment and weaponry. This equipment was originally intended for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, which collapsed in the 11 days before the Taliban seized Kabul, the country's capital, on 15 August 2021.

The US spent over $80 billion over 20 years to train and equip military forces in Afghanistan. However, this figure does not reflect the value of the equipment left behind after the US withdrawal. Billions of dollars' worth of equipment was removed or demilitarised by the US military before leaving Afghanistan. An exact accounting of the military equipment currently in the Taliban's possession is not available, but one expert estimated the total value to be closer to $10 billion.

The equipment seized by the Taliban includes Humvees and trucks; armoured fighting vehicles; artillery and mortar pieces; helicopters and attack aircraft; tanks; drones; and millions of bullets. Many of the items were disabled by departing US troops or are beyond the Taliban fighters' knowledge to operate.

The chaotic Western withdrawal from Afghanistan resulted in the Taliban, the very group the US ousted 20 years ago, regaining power and being better equipped militarily than ever before to repel adversaries and enforce repressive rules.

The US has shifted to a position of pragmatic engagement in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover

Since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in August 2021, the US has shifted to a position of pragmatic engagement in the country. This approach has been characterised by cautious engagement, refusing to grant recognition, unfreeze assets, or lift sanctions. The US has undertaken significant efforts to coordinate with the international community to assist the Afghan people during a period of humanitarian and economic catastrophe.

The US has continued to engage with the Taliban to ensure they fully abide by the commitments outlined in the Doha Agreement, including preventing any group or individual, including Al-Qaida, from using Afghanistan as a base to threaten the security of the US and its allies. However, the killing of Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul in July 2022 demonstrated that the Taliban had not met its pledge to cut ties with transnational terrorist groups.

The US has changed the nature and scope of its activities in Afghanistan to focus on humanitarian aid and targeted assistance to help meet basic human needs and avoid a complete and imminent economic collapse. As part of these efforts, the US has led the international response to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, providing $775 million in assistance as of July 2022. The US has also advanced efforts to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance and help fulfill the basic needs of Afghans in priority areas such as food security, agriculture, health, and education.

Despite the US's pragmatic engagement, the Taliban has been resistant to international expectations, pursuing a narrow and repressive vision of governance. The Taliban's increasingly draconian restrictions on the rights of women and girls and lack of inclusivity remain serious impediments to the relaxation of sanctions and movement towards recognition. The Taliban's decision to prevent the reopening of girls' secondary schools in March 2022 was particularly alarming and set back the willingness of the US and other donors to provide non-humanitarian aid.

The US has adopted a pragmatic approach to weather the ups and downs while working to secure its interests in Afghanistan. However, shifting dynamics, including waning humanitarian aid and the upcoming US presidential election, may test this approach. China's moves towards de-facto recognition of the Taliban could also put pressure on the existing international consensus against recognising the group.

Overall, the US's pragmatic engagement in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover has been focused on addressing the country's humanitarian and economic crises, evacuating US citizens and partners, and coordinating with the Taliban on limited issues such as the release of captive Americans and the facilitation of aid delivery.

The US has led the international response to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people

The US has been at the forefront of the international response to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. The US has provided humanitarian aid and targeted assistance to help meet basic human needs and prevent a complete and imminent economic collapse. As of July 2022, the US has provided $775 million in humanitarian assistance, making it the single largest donor of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. The US has also contributed to the international humanitarian response by urging other countries to generously support Afghanistan's humanitarian needs and maintain support for the Afghan people.

The US has provided humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan through UN agencies and NGOs. This assistance has included emergency food and nutrition assistance, healthcare services, livelihoods, multipurpose cash, protection, shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene support. The US has also supported programs designed to improve human rights in Afghanistan, particularly those of women, girls, and minority communities.

In addition to humanitarian assistance, the US has also provided security assistance to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and development assistance to support Afghanistan's stability and build self-reliance. The US has also provided COVID-19 vaccines to the Afghan people and critical emergency medical assistance to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

The US has a long history of providing assistance to Afghanistan, dating back to the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1935. In 2012, the US and Afghanistan concluded the Strategic Partnership Agreement to strengthen bilateral relations, support Afghanistan's capabilities as a partner, and improve the lives of the Afghan people. Despite the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, the US remains committed to supporting the Afghan people through humanitarian and development assistance.

The US has supported programs designed to improve human rights in Afghanistan, particularly those of women, girls, and minority communities

In August 2022, the US announced a $30 million commitment to support gender equality and women's empowerment in Afghanistan through the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). This funding will increase Afghan women and girls' access to social protection services, provide resources and support for women-led civil society organizations, and increase women's economic empowerment through skills and business development training.

The US has also played a vital role in increasing access to justice for women in Afghanistan, training hundreds of lawyers, prosecutors, and judges. Additionally, US support has been crucial in improving access to education for millions of Afghan children, particularly girls, contributing to growing acceptance of girls' right to study in many parts of the country.

However, the Taliban takeover in August 2021 has resulted in severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls, with women banned from working except in certain professions and girls prohibited from attending school beyond the sixth grade in most provinces. The Taliban has also increasingly restricted the space for women-led civil society organizations to operate freely and independently.

Despite these challenges, the US remains committed to standing with Afghan women and girls as they fight for their human rights and opportunities.

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