Afghan Journalists in Exile Urge Trump to Annul Doha Agreement

The Afghan Journalists in Exile, in an open letter, called on Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, to officially annul the Doha Agreement.

They also demanded that individuals involved in signing the agreement be brought to justice.

A group of exiled Afghan journalists in North America and Europe, in a letter addressed to Trump on Sunday, described the Doha Agreement as a facilitator of the Taliban’s domination of Afghanistan.

They pointed to the suppression of media and journalists, stating that since the Taliban took power, over 1,000 cases of violence against journalists have been documented in Afghanistan.

According to them, more than 4,000 Afghan journalists and media workers have left the country, while female journalists and media workers in Afghanistan face "dangerous and tense conditions" in their workplaces.

In their letter to Trump, they emphasised on the need to annul the Doha Agreement, stating that its cancellation could pave the way for compelling the Taliban to establish an inclusive and democratic government.

The Afghan journalists in exile, without naming any specific individual, urged Trump to ensure those involved in the agreement are prosecuted in international courts under global law.

The Doha Agreement was signed in 2020 between the Trump administration and the Taliban, aimed at facilitating the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. Zalmay Khalilzad signed the agreement on behalf of the United States. Prior to the signing, Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, met with Abdul Ghani Baradar and shook hands with him.

Reports indicate that Trump had a phone conversation with Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of the Taliban delegation in Doha, regarding the agreement and even considered inviting him to Camp David.

Under the Doha Agreement, the Taliban pledged not to attack US forces until their withdrawal in 2021 and to negotiate with Afghan groups for the formation of a new government.