Khalilzad to testify before US House panel on withdrawal strategy

US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has agreed to testify before the US House Oversight and Reform National Security Subcommittee on the Trump administration’s withdrawal strategy in Afghanistan and the impact it will have on women.  

Khalilzad will testify on his return to Washington and also offered to provide the subcommittee with a closed-door classified briefing. 

The US’s special envoy, who was in Doha, Qatar for the opening of intra-Afghan peace talks this past weekend is currently in Pakistan and is expected to visit India on Tuesday before returning to the US.  

Chairman of the national security subcommittee Stephen Lynch welcomed the move and issued a statement late Monday night announcing this new development.

“I am grateful to US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad for agreeing to testify before the Subcommittee on National Security about the United States’ negotiations with the Taliban and the Government of Afghanistan.  

“I look forward to examining the Trump Administration’s strategy, including potential impacts for Afghan women and US security interests in the region. 

“After nearly two decades of conflict, the American people deserve to hear directly from the Administration about how it plans to bring a responsible end to the war in Afghanistan,” Lynch said.

 On August 31 Lynch wrote a letter demanding testimony about the US strategy in Afghanistan from the Pentagon and the State Department after the Trump administration refused to appear before the subcommittee for more than a year.

 Last week, Khalilzad however spoke with Lynch and committed to testifying before the subcommittee.  

The Committee on Oversight and Reform is the main investigative committee in the US House of Representatives. 

It has the authority to investigate the subjects within the committee’s legislative jurisdiction as well as “any matter” within the jurisdiction of the other standing House Committees.

It is unclear if the panel is still seeking testimony from the Pentagon.