Taliban Spokesman Criticizes UNAMA for Failing to Resolve Afghanistan Deadlock

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid criticized the five-year performance of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), saying the organization has focused more on ‘secondary issues’ and has been unsuccessful in mediating between Afghanistan and the international community.

In an interview with Tolo News, Mujahid stated that UNAMA has failed to play an effective role in resolving the existing challenges between Kabul and the global community. He expressed hope that the next UN mission and representative will accelerate efforts to address the current issues.

UNAMA, as the United Nations’ political delegation in Afghanistan, is tasked with supporting political processes, human rights, and coordinating international aid. This comes as Afghanistan has faced political isolation and a decline in official relations with many countries since the Taliban regained power.

In recent years, restrictions on the rights of women and girls, the closure of schools beyond the sixth grade to girls, and other social constraints have been repeatedly criticized by the international community and identified as primary obstacles to formal engagement with the Taliban administration. However, Taliban officials have consistently emphasized that Afghanistan’s internal issues must be resolved through internal channels.