Taliban have no legal right to multi-billion $ fund: US

The watchdog for US assistance to Afghanistan said the Taliban have no legal right to billions of dollars in funding set aside for the country because they are not recognised as its government and are under sanctions.

In its latest report issued Friday, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction also said President Donald Trump’s administration and Congress may want to examine returning nearly $4 billion earmarked for Afghanistan to the “custody and control” of the US government.

In 2022, the US transferred $3.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets previously frozen in America to the Swiss-based Fund for the Afghan People. The fund has grown to nearly $4 billion since then, according to the inspector general.

Although no payments benefitting Afghans have been made, the fund is aimed at protecting and stabilizing the economy on their behalf.

“The Taliban want these funds even though they have no legal right to them since they are not recognizsed by the United States as the government of Afghanistan, are on the US Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, and are under US and UN sanctions,” the report said.

The report follows Trump’s decision to freeze foreign aid for 90 days pending reviews to determine whether they align with his policy goals.

According to the report, the US has spent nearly $3.71 billion in Afghanistan since withdrawing from the country in 2021. Most of that has gone to UN agencies. Another $1.2 billion remains available in the pipeline for possible disbursement, the report said.