NPR

Afghan Ambassador Roya Rahmani: 'We Will Not Be Going Back To The Time Prior To 2001'

Roya Rahmani is Afghanistan's first woman ambassador to the U.S. "What makes me hopeful about women's rights in Afghanistan is that women themselves, they have their own voice," she tells NPR.
"What makes me hopeful about women's rights in Afghanistan is that women themselves, they have their own voice," Roya Rahmani, Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S., tells NPR.

When Roya Rahmani became Afghanistan's first woman ambassador to the United States on Dec. 14, 2018, the U.S. was at the start of its 18th year of war in her country. Afghan army soldiers were dying at "unsustainable" rates. Meanwhile, the Taliban continue to launch deadly attacks and take territory.

The Trump administration to begin withdrawing about 7,000 troops from Afghanistan. In his , the president said he had "accelerated" U.S. talks, aiming for a reduction in U.S. troop presence. Peace negotiations have been taking place between the Taliban and Afghan opposition leaders and a team led by U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad — but so far, the government to talks on the future of the country it leads.

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