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Freshta Jalalzai
Credit: RFE/RL/ Claudia Shute

Freshta Jalalzai

Freshta Jalalzai is an Afghan-American journalist who holds a degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York.

Freshta Jalalzai is an Afghan-American journalist holding a degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York, where she majored in politics. Her primary focus is on long-form journalism within the realm of war and conflict, centering on South Asia. With expertise cultivated through extensive coverage of the war in Afghanistan, considered America’s longest war in history, her insightful work has been featured in esteemed publications including The Diplomat, RFE/RL, New Lines Magazine, and various other media outlets. She is currently working on a book project detailing Afghan Jewish history

She can be reached on Twitter at @TheLostJalalzai.

Posts by Freshta Jalalzai
September 11, 2024

How 9/11 Changed – and Didn’t Change – Afghanistan

By Freshta Jalalzai
The terror attacks on September 11, 2001, seemingly changed the trajectory of Afghanistan’s history. But today, the country in many ways is back to the status quo ante – except for the thousands of lives lost to war. 

September 09, 2024

The Complex Legacy of Ahmad Shah Massoud

By Freshta Jalalzai
Two days before the 9/11 attacks, Ahmad Shah Massoud was assassinated in Afghanistan. His legacy is woven with threads of both reverence and controversy.
August 28, 2024

Outgoing EU Diplomat Raffaella Iodice Reflects on Her Time in Afghanistan 

By Freshta Jalalzai
Iodice stood by the girls and women of Afghanistan when nearly everyone else had left, a commitment that deeply resonated with many in the war-torn nation.

August 15, 2024

3 Afghans Face Different Fates After the Taliban Takeover

By Freshta Jalalzai
For some, Taliban rule means a life in hiding. For others, it brought a long-awaited homecoming. Still others are just hoping for a lasting peace.

August 06, 2024

The Killing of Dawa Khan Menapal and the Fall of Afghanistan’s Republic

By Freshta Jalalzai
In August 2021, a brutal assassination prefigured the fall of the Republic and the Taliban’s return to power.

June 28, 2024

Afghan Hopes Are Riding on the Doha Conference

By Freshta Jalalzai
With the Taliban finally joining the U.N.-hosted meeting, Afghans are hoping for a much-needed breakthrough.
June 07, 2024

Why Did the Taliban’s Sirajuddin Haqqani Visit the UAE?

By Freshta Jalalzai
Haqqani meeting and shaking hands with officials from the affluent Gulf nation has ignited fervent speculation and debate. 

May 04, 2024

An Afghan Woman Activist’s Visit to Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan

By Freshta Jalalzai
Zerka Malyar and her team sought to confront the Taliban on the critical issue of women’s rights.

March 21, 2024

A Not-So-Bright Nowruz for Afghanistan’s Girls

By Freshta Jalalzai
The festival traditionally marks the beginning of the school year. For the thousands of girls who are prevented from attending by Taliban edicts, it’s a heart-wrenching time.

March 08, 2024

Afghan Women’s Woes: Beyond and Before the Taliban

By Freshta Jalalzai
Even under the previous government, horrific cases of violence against women occurred with startling frequency.

February 21, 2024

UN Doha Conference on Afghanistan Fails to Achieve Key Goals

By Freshta Jalalzai
The Taliban’s refusal to participate – and those invited to represent Afghanistan from other groups – sparked much debate among Afghans.
February 14, 2024

A Murdered Ambassador, a Closed Embassy: The Tragic History of US Diplomacy in Afghanistan

By Freshta Jalalzai
As the U.S. debates the fate of its embassy in Kabul, it's worth remembering the broader context of Afghanistan-U.S. diplomatic relations – including the murder of Ambassador Dubs in 1979.

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