KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The U.S. mission for Afghanistan, now operating from Doha, announced Thursday that Don Brown has been appointed interim chargé d’affaires for Afghanistan.
In a statement, the mission said Brown, a career member of the Foreign Service, formally assumed the role in July 2025. He had been serving as Deputy Chief of Mission since November 2023.
The mission noted that Brown brings extensive experience in counterterrorism, political-military affairs, and diplomacy, having previously held posts in Baghdad, Berlin, Gaborone, New Delhi, Jeddah, Kampala, and Lima.
He replaced Karen Decker, who had held the position since 2021, in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s return to power. The mission expressed appreciation for Decker’s “years of service and dedicated leadership.”
The U.S., along with other Western countries, closed its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban takeover in August 2021. Since then, its diplomatic mission has been based in Doha, Qatar, where American diplomats continue to handle Afghanistan-related affairs, including humanitarian assistance and engagement with international partners and Afghan civil society.
Four years under Taliban rule, Afghanistan remains deeply isolated, largely due to the regime’s disregard for international law and human rights, its harsh restrictions on women and girls, its refusal to form an inclusive government, and its links to extremist groups.
Only a handful of regional countries have moved toward normalization. China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Russia, and most recently Pakistan have upgraded their diplomatic ties with the Taliban to the ambassadorial level. The rest maintain only chargé d’affaires representation, reflecting cautious engagement.
Russia is the only country to have formally recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. Washington and its allies, however, maintain that recognition will not come without significant changes, including respect for human rights and a more representative political system.
