On the International Day of Peace, the U.S. Mission for Afghanistan expressed its hope that “collective efforts” would help bring lasting peace to Afghanistan.
The annual observance, which falls on September 21, was marked by a somber message from United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, who noted that “peace is under attack” in conflicts around the world, including in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine. “We see civilians in the firing line, homes blown apart, traumatized, terrified populations who have lost everything, and sometimes everyone,” Guterres said.
The U.S. Mission to Afghanistan echoed those sentiments, stating that it commemorates the day with a vision of peace and stability for Afghanistan. “May our collective efforts bring lasting peace to Afghanistan,” the mission posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
The statement comes two years after the United States completed its military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, ending a two-decade-long presence in the country. The withdrawal precipitated the collapse of the Afghan government and the swift return of the Taliban to power.
Today, Afghanistan remains a focal point of global human rights concerns. The country is regularly cited by the United Nations and international watchdogs as one of the world’s most acute human rights crises, particularly in relation to the treatment of women and minorities under Taliban rule.
