Fifth Anniversary Of Doha Agreement: Taliban Deems It Obsolete

The Doha Agreement, signed between the United States and the Taliban, has marked its fifth anniversary, yet the Taliban now considers it irrelevant.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, declared on Friday that the agreement served a specific purpose at a particular time and no longer holds significance for the group.

Speaking on Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), Mujahid stressed that the Taliban now governs Afghanistan independently, adhering to its own principles rather than the terms outlined in the Doha Agreement.

Signed on 29 February 2020 after 18 months of negotiations in Doha, Qatar, the agreement facilitated the withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces from Afghanistan, ending two decades of conflict. Following the U.S. exit, the Afghan government collapsed, enabling the Taliban to seize power through military conquest.

In his Friday interview, Mujahid stated: “The Doha Agreement was for a particular phase, and afterwards, the Islamic Emirate assumed control. We no longer operate under this agreement; instead, we follow our own governance principles. The deal was with the Americans and concluded at that point.”

He highlighted that the withdrawal of U.S. forces and the Taliban’s pledge to prevent Afghan soil from being used against the U.S. were the agreement’s core elements.

“U.S. Failed to Fulfil Commitments”

Mujahid asserted that the Taliban has upheld its obligations, including the withdrawal of foreign forces and ensuring Afghanistan does not threaten U.S. security. However, he accused the U.S. of failing to meet its commitments, pointing to ongoing sanctions on Taliban leaders and a lack of diplomatic engagement. He urged the U.S. to honour its side of the bargain.

Late in 2024, the U.S. alleged that the Taliban had breached critical aspects of the Doha Agreement. Negotiated over 18 months, the agreement was formalised by Mullah Baradar for the Taliban and Zalmay Khalilzad for the U.S. It encompassed four key points: the withdrawal of U.S. forces, the Taliban’s commitment to cut ties with terrorist groups, the launch of intra-Afghan negotiations, and the establishment of a ceasefire.

On 12 December 2024, the U.S. State Department’s annual terrorism report claimed that the Taliban continues to shelter al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and permits the Pakistani Taliban to operate within its borders. Both groups are designated as terrorist organisations by the United States, and under the Doha Agreement, the Taliban was obliged to sever ties with them—a commitment the U.S. contends has not been fulfilled.

After signing the agreement, the Taliban refused to engage in talks with the former Afghan government and pursued a military campaign to capture cities.

While Mujahid insists the Doha Agreement is obsolete for the Taliban, he has called on the U.S. to lift sanctions on Taliban leaders.

According to a United Nations sanctions monitoring report dated 8 July 2024, 61 Taliban officials remain under international sanctions, including 35 cabinet members and senior figures. Notable sanctioned individuals include Prime Minister Mullah Hassan, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi, and Minister of Refugees Abdul Kabir. Key cabinet members such as Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, and others—including Ministers of Hajj, Information and Culture, Borders and Tribal Affairs, Civil Aviation, Economy, Public Works, Telecommunications, Urban Development, Energy and Water, Mines and Petroleum, and the head of the Taliban’s central bank, Noor Ahmad Agha—are also listed.

These individuals face travel bans outside Afghanistan without UN Security Council approval, and their overseas assets are frozen.

In December 2024, the UN Security Council unanimously extended the mandate of its sanctions monitoring team for another year, a decision supported by all 15 permanent and rotating members.