Announcing his resignation as Washington's special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West said that the United States remains committed to supporting Afghanistan and its people.
West said that the "resilience and courage" of Afghans has made him more hopeful about Afghanistan's future.
Hours earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had announced that Tom West had been appointed acting head of the US State Department's Sanctions Coordination Office.
Karen Decker, Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Afghanistan; Rina Amiri, US Special Representative for Afghan Women, and another official will perform the duties of Tom West.
It is unclear whether the US government will appoint someone else to replace Tom West or if the position of special envoy, which is of a political nature, has been eliminated.
West wrote that he "took the lead in US diplomacy toward Afghanistan during a very difficult period" and listed his achievements over the past three years.
West has many critics, mostly because of his approach to the Taliban. During this period, he tried to stay away from anti-Taliban movements and figures and adopt a soft tone towards the Taliban.
Thomas West said that the "countless resistance and courage of Afghan journalists and human rights activists" had been hopeful for him.
The former US special envoy travelled to the countries of the region several times during his mission, but he did not succeed in using these countries to change the behaviour and policies of the Taliban.
