NRF Delegation Heads to Washington Without Its Leader

The National Resistance Front (NRF) announced on Wednesday that Ahmad Massoud would have a virtual meeting with the Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul.

The Front stated that a delegation representing Massoud would travel to Washington.

Following requests for the presence of the NRF leader in the Foreign Affairs Committee, McCaul, the committee's chairman, announced that he would meet with representatives of the NRF, including Ahmad Massoud, on September 10.

McCaul said that he was eagerly looking forward to hearing Massoud’s thoughts on freeing his people from the Taliban.

While the Front’s leader warmly welcomed McCaul's announcement, it remains unclear why he is not travelling to Washington to meet this Republican representative.

NRF wrote, "The leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan is sending a delegation to Washington on behalf of the Front. Meanwhile, Ahmad Massoud will have a virtual conversation with McCaul, the chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee."

The Front added, "It is expected that this conversation will initiate a new process of meaningful talks between the US Congress and the legitimate representatives of the Afghan people."

The Taliban have expressed their opposition to foreign countries meeting with anti-Taliban forces outside of Afghanistan. The group boycotted the second United Nations meeting in Doha on Afghanistan due to the presence of civil society representatives.

The chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee said that he and his team have had continuous contact with Massoud and the NRF for a long time.

He emphasised that the Taliban's regime had undone any progress previously made on human rights in Afghanistan.

Recently, former US military officer Shawn Ryan launched a campaign to cut financial aid to the Taliban and invited Massoud to testify before the Congress. Tens of thousands of people have signed this petition.