Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Human Rights Council has approved an extensive and unprecedented investigation into human rights abuses in Afghanistan, paving the way for potential criminal prosecutions against both the Taliban and foreign military forces, including US troops.
The resolution, tabled by the European Union and adopted without a vote on Monday in Geneva, seeks to establish a mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of violations committed over decades of conflict. The move marks one of the most powerful forms of investigation the Council can authorize—comparable to its existing war crimes inquiries into Syria and Myanmar.
While the resolution does not explicitly name foreign forces, diplomats confirmed that the mandate will be “comprehensive and unrestricted,” allowing investigators to examine abuses committed by all parties, including international troops during the two-decade war that followed the 2001 invasion.
The decision signals a significant step toward addressing long-standing allegations of atrocities committed in Afghanistan—from Taliban crackdowns on civilians and women’s rights to controversial military operations conducted by foreign forces.
Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, hailed the decision as “a significant step that could break a decades-long cycle of impunity.” She added, “For too long, Afghan victims have been denied justice. This investigation provides a glimmer of hope for accountability.”
The probe will work in coordination with the ongoing International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. The ICC inquiry, which began in 2020, was initially slowed after the United States imposed sanctions against ICC officials under then-President Donald Trump for pursuing cases involving US troops. The new UN initiative could therefore help fill critical gaps by providing independent evidence to complement international judicial efforts.
A breakthrough moment for justice
The creation of this investigative body is being viewed by rights advocates as a historic moment for Afghanistan, a country that has endured over four decades of armed conflict, foreign occupation, and cycles of human rights violations. The Human Rights Council’s approval reflects growing frustration among the international community over the absence of accountability for both Taliban abuses and the actions of international forces.
Under the resolution, investigators will be empowered to document crimes such as extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, sexual violence, and attacks on civilians and journalists. The body will also focus on the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls, who have faced sweeping restrictions on education, employment, and freedom of movement since the group returned to power in 2021.
The Taliban government has repeatedly denied allegations of abuse, insisting that it upholds human rights “in accordance with Islamic principles.” However, reports from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and global rights groups paint a starkly different picture, describing arbitrary detentions, public floggings, and a systematic dismantling of women’s rights.
Washington distances itself
The United States, which ended its military involvement in Afghanistan in August 2021, has long resisted external investigations into the conduct of its troops. The Trump administration withdrew the US from the Geneva-based Human Rights Council in 2018, accusing it of political bias.
In keeping with that stance, the US declined to support the EU-backed proposal. A State Department spokesperson reiterated Washington’s long-standing position shortly before the Council adopted the measure: “The United States government will not tolerate international organisations that attempt to exert unlawful jurisdiction over American troops.”
While the Biden administration restored US membership in the Council in 2022, it has maintained a cautious approach toward international accountability mechanisms involving US forces. Analysts say the new probe could test Washington’s willingness to engage with UN-led justice initiatives.
Cost concerns and political friction
Despite broad consensus among Western and regional delegations, the initiative did not pass without criticism. China’s representative, Wang Nian, questioned the financial burden of the project, estimated at $9.2 million over three years. “The UN is already facing severe funding shortages. Such an expensive and unbalanced proposal could further strain the system,” Wang said, adding that the Council should focus on “constructive dialogue rather than confrontation.”
Russia and Pakistan also voiced reservations, warning that the investigation might “politicize” human rights issues and undermine prospects for engagement with the Taliban.
However, EU representatives defended the measure, arguing that “the credibility of the international community depends on ensuring justice for victims.” They stressed that the probe’s independence and broad mandate were essential to addressing crimes committed by all sides.
Decades of impunity
The new investigation builds upon years of advocacy by Afghan civil society and international human rights groups who have long demanded an impartial inquiry into abuses committed during the conflict. From the Soviet invasion in 1979 through the US-led war and the Taliban’s resurgence, Afghanistan’s population has endured repeated cycles of violence with little to no accountability.
According to UN data, tens of thousands of civilians were killed between 2001 and 2021, with many more injured or displaced. Numerous reports documented airstrikes that mistakenly targeted civilians, night raids that resulted in unlawful killings, and Taliban attacks that deliberately targeted schools and hospitals.
“This is not just about the past—it’s about preventing future crimes,” said a European diplomat involved in the resolution’s drafting. “Justice delayed has too often meant justice denied in Afghanistan. This initiative seeks to end that pattern.”
The investigators will now begin assembling a team of experts, forensic analysts, and legal specialists to collect and preserve evidence that could one day support criminal prosecutions in international or domestic courts. The process is expected to take years, but officials emphasized that it represents a crucial foundation for eventual justice.
A step toward accountability
Afghanistan’s human rights crisis remains one of the most severe in the world. Since the Taliban seized power, women and girls have been banned from schools beyond the sixth grade, barred from most jobs, and restricted from public spaces such as parks and gyms. Journalists face harassment and arrests, while reports of arbitrary detentions and disappearances of former government officials continue to surface.
Human rights defenders view the new UN investigation as a rare moment of hope in an otherwise grim landscape. “This is the first time the international community is formally committing to a process that includes every perpetrator, regardless of political or military affiliation,” said Abbasi of Human Rights Watch. “It sends a clear message: no one is above the law.”
If successfully implemented, the probe could establish a vital legal framework for future accountability, helping Afghanistan confront decades of unpunished violence and restore a measure of faith in international justice.
As the world watches, the Human Rights Council’s decision marks a defining moment—one that could finally begin to unravel the long and painful legacy of war, occupation, and abuse that has shaped Afghanistan’s modern history.
(Reported by Africa Live News – 2025)
