The State Department has announced that the top US ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is stepping down, less than two months after the chaotic US departure from Afghanistan and Taliban control of the nation.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Monday that Khalilzad will be replaced by his deputy, Tom West, and that West will work closely with the US embassy, which is currently situated in Doha, on US interests in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

"As Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad steps down from his role, I extend my gratitude for his decades of service to the American people," Blinken’s statement said. 
 
Watch | South Asia Diary | The Taliban return to Bamiyan

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"I thank Ambassador Khalilzad for his service and welcome Special Representative West to the role."

According to Politico, Khalilzad stated in his resignation letter that "the political agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban did not go as planned." 
 
Watch | Regional powers engage with new rulers of Afghanistan

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The reasons behind this are too difficult to discuss here, but I shall do so in the following days and weeks."&nbsp;

"Going forward, I plan to contribute to the discussion and debate about not only what happened but what should be done next," he said according to Politico.

His departure followed his absence from the Biden administration's first formal negotiations with the Taliban following the US withdrawal, which took place in Doha earlier this month.

Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, has held the position since 2018 and oversaw the discussions with the Taliban that resulted in the February 2020 deal for the departure of US soldiers this year.

Despite his Republican allegiance, Khalilzad was retained after Biden beat Donald Trump and chose to withdraw.

He then urged the hardline armed group and former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's Western-backed administration to reach a political settlement after decades of conflict.&nbsp;

In mid-August, the government collapsed as the Taliban swept through the country and marched unopposed into the capital, Kabul.

(With inputs from agencies)

The State Department has announced that the top US ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is stepping down, less than two months after the chaotic US departure from Afghanistan and Taliban control of the nation.

The State Department has announced that the top US ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is stepping down, less than two months after the chaotic US departure from Afghanistan and Taliban control of the nation. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Monday that Khalilzad will be replaced by his deputy, Tom West, and that West will work closely with the US embassy, which is currently situated in Doha, on US interests in Afghanistan. "As Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad steps down from his role, I extend my gratitude for his decades of service to the American people," Blinken’s statement said. Watch | South Asia Diary | The Taliban return to Bamiyan "I thank Ambassador Khalilzad for his service and welcome Special Representative West to the role." According to Politico, Khalilzad stated in his resignation letter that "the political agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban did not go as planned." Watch | Regional powers engage with new rulers of Afghanistan The reasons behind this are too difficult to discuss here, but I shall do so in the following days and weeks." "Going forward, I plan to contribute to the discussion and debate about not only what happened but what should be done next," he said according to Politico. His departure followed his absence from the Biden administration's first formal negotiations with the Taliban following the US withdrawal, which took place in Doha earlier this month. Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, has held the position since 2018 and oversaw the discussions with the Taliban that resulted in the February 2020 deal for the departure of US soldiers this year. Despite his Republican allegiance, Khalilzad was retained after Biden beat Donald Trump and chose to withdraw. He then urged the hardline armed group and former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's Western-backed administration to reach a political settlement after decades of conflict. In mid-August, the government collapsed as the Taliban swept through the country and marched unopposed into the capital, Kabul. (With inputs from agencies)

Zalmay Khalilzad steps down as US envoy to Afghanistan in wake of chaotic withdrawal, Thomas West to take over

US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad will visit New Delhi on Tuesday -- in the wake of the peace talks that have opened between the Taliban and the Afghan forces in Doha.

During his one day visit, he is expected to meet External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and will brief him about the ongoing Afghan peace process.

The visit shows how India is being kept in loop regarding the Afghan peace process by Washington. Zalmay reaches India from Pakistan where he met Pakistani Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and Pakistani special envoy on Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq.

Saturday saw the ceremony in Doha marking the beginning of talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Jaishankar who joined the event virtually extended India's support for ceasefire and reiterating that Afghan peace process should be "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled".

He also stated that the process should "ensure interest of minorities, women and the vulnerable" and "effectively address violence across the country".

India has emerged as an important development partner of Afghanistan and has been building mega infrastructure projects in the country including the India Afghanistan friendship project and the Afghan parliament.

US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad will visit New Delhi on Tuesday -- in the wake of the peace talks that have opened between the Taliban and the Afghan forces in Doha.

US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad will visit New Delhi on Tuesday -- in the wake of the peace talks that have opened between the Taliban and the Afghan forces in Doha. During his one day visit, he is expected to meet External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and will brief him about the ongoing Afghan peace process. The visit shows how India is being kept in loop regarding the Afghan peace process by Washington. Zalmay reaches India from Pakistan where he met Pakistani Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and Pakistani special envoy on Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq. Saturday saw the ceremony in Doha marking the beginning of talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Jaishankar who joined the event virtually extended India's support for ceasefire and reiterating that Afghan peace process should be "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled". He also stated that the process should "ensure interest of minorities, women and the vulnerable" and "effectively address violence across the country". India has emerged as an important development partner of Afghanistan and has been building mega infrastructure projects in the country including the India Afghanistan friendship project and the Afghan parliament.

US special envoy to Afghanistan to visit India on Tuesday

The US envoy who negotiated with the Taliban will testify behind closed doors to Congress on Thursday, 12 days after President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the Afghan militants.

The House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee issued a subpoena to force Zalmay Khalilzad to appear after it complained about being kept in the dark over the negotiating process.

"We have reached an accommodation... to hear from Ambassador Khalilzad in a classified briefing," Eliot Engel, the committee chairman, said in a statement on Wednesday, adding the subpoena had been withdrawn.

"While I would have preferred to hear from Ambassador Khalilzad in an open setting, I'm glad our members will have this long-overdue opportunity to press for answers on the peace plan."

Trump said on September 7 that he had called off "peace negotiations" with the Taliban, and revealed that he had arranged but cancelled talks with the Islamist militants at his Camp David presidential retreat.

Khalilzad held nine rounds of talks with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, saying little in public about the negotiations.

He later said he had reached an agreement in principle with the Taliban in which the United States would pull out troops and the militants would promise to break with Al-Qaeda.

Trump has been eager to end America's longest war, launched 18 years ago after the September 11 attacks on the United States.

But he accused the Taliban of bad faith for launching an attack in Kabul that killed a US soldier, and others, on the eve of the Camp David talks.

The US envoy who negotiated with the Taliban will testify behind closed doors to Congress on Thursday, 12 days after President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the Afghan militants.

The US envoy who negotiated with the Taliban will testify behind closed doors to Congress on Thursday, 12 days after President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the Afghan militants. The House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee issued a subpoena to force Zalmay Khalilzad to appear after it complained about being kept in the dark over the negotiating process. "We have reached an accommodation... to hear from Ambassador Khalilzad in a classified briefing," Eliot Engel, the committee chairman, said in a statement on Wednesday, adding the subpoena had been withdrawn. "While I would have preferred to hear from Ambassador Khalilzad in an open setting, I'm glad our members will have this long-overdue opportunity to press for answers on the peace plan." Trump said on September 7 that he had called off "peace negotiations" with the Taliban, and revealed that he had arranged but cancelled talks with the Islamist militants at his Camp David presidential retreat. Khalilzad held nine rounds of talks with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, saying little in public about the negotiations. He later said he had reached an agreement in principle with the Taliban in which the United States would pull out troops and the militants would promise to break with Al-Qaeda. Trump has been eager to end America's longest war, launched 18 years ago after the September 11 attacks on the United States. But he accused the Taliban of bad faith for launching an attack in Kabul that killed a US soldier, and others, on the eve of the Camp David talks.

US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad to testify before lawmakers

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Zalmay Khalilzad steps down as US envoy to Afghanistan in wake of chaotic withdrawal, Thomas West to take over

US special envoy to Afghanistan to visit India on Tuesday

US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad to testify before lawmakers