The United Nations Human Rights Council has approved a far-reaching investigation into human rights abuses in Afghanistan, a move that could open the door to future criminal prosecutions targeting both the Taliban and foreign troops, including US forces.
The probe, initiated through a European Union motion and adopted without a vote on Monday in Geneva, aims to gather evidence for potential court proceedings. It represents one of the Council’s strongest forms of investigation—on par with existing UN inquiries into alleged war crimes in Syria and Myanmar.
Although the proposal does not explicitly name foreign forces, diplomats confirmed that the investigation would be “comprehensive” and without a time limit, allowing scrutiny of actions committed by international troops during the two-decade conflict. The United States, which maintained a military presence in Afghanistan until 2021 under NATO, has previously resisted international oversight of its activities.
US President Donald Trump withdrew the country from the Geneva-based rights body and declined to take a position on the EU-backed initiative. Ahead of Monday’s adoption, a State Department spokesperson reiterated Washington’s long-held stance, stating: “The United States government will not tolerate international organisations that attempt to exert unlawful jurisdiction over American troops.”
Rights advocates have hailed the decision as a milestone. Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, described it as “a significant step that could break a decades-long cycle of impunity.”
The investigation will coordinate with the ongoing International Criminal Court (ICC) probe into Afghanistan. The ICC had previously deprioritised alleged crimes by US forces after Washington imposed sanctions in 2020 over its Afghanistan-related inquiries.
For years, Afghan and international human rights groups have demanded such an independent probe, especially as the Taliban tightened restrictions on women and curtailed freedom of expression. The Taliban authorities, however, maintain that they uphold rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law.
Despite broad support, some nations voiced concern over the initiative’s cost. China’s delegate, Wang Nian, criticised the $9.2 million, three-year budget amid the UN’s ongoing funding challenges, calling the proposal “unbalanced.”
If successful, the investigation could lay the groundwork for long-awaited accountability in Afghanistan—addressing a history marked by war, occupation, and unpunished violations.
Melissa Enoch
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