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SIGAR finds Ghani and his advisors fled the country with less than $1 million

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Washington’s oversight authority on Afghanistan reconstruction has found that allegations of theft of millions of dollars of cash by former president Ashraf Ghani and his senior advisors, at the time of their hurried departure, are likely untrue.

In the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction’s (SIGAR) interim report on the theft of funds, which was published on Tuesday, the investigative team found that while some cash was taken from the grounds of the palace and loaded onto helicopters, that carried Ghani, his wife Rula, and senior staff members to Uzbekistan, evidence indicates that the amount of cash on board did not exceed $1 million and may have been closer in value to $500,000.

SIGAR also identified suspicious circumstances in which approximately $5 million in cash was allegedly left behind at the presidential palace. “The origins and purpose of this money are disputed, but it was supposedly divided by members of the Presidential Protective Service” after the helicopters departed but before the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) captured the palace. 

SIGAR examined other examples of alleged theft by senior Afghan officials as the government collapsed, including tens of millions of dollars from the operating budget of the National Directorate of Security.

Although there appears to have been ample opportunity and effort to plunder Afghan government coffers, “at this time SIGAR does not have sufficient evidence to determine with certainty whether hundreds of millions of dollars were removed from the country by Afghan officials as the government collapsed or whether any stolen money was provided by the United States,” the report read.

According to SIGAR, this is an interim report, as they are still waiting for responses to questions sent to Ghani.

“If forthcoming, those answers will be incorporated into a final report,” SIGAR stated.

Following the collapse of the former Afghan government, allegations were made that Ghani and his senior advisors fled Afghanistan with millions of dollars in cash loaded onto the helicopters that carried them from the presidential palace to Termez, Uzbekistan, on the afternoon of August 15, 2021.

“The hurried nature of their departure, the emphasis on passengers over cargo, the payload and performance limitations of the helicopters, and the consistent alignment in detailed accounts from witnesses on the ground and in the air all suggest that there was little more than $500,000 in cash on board the helicopters,” read the report. 

“That being said, it is likely that significant amounts of U.S. currency disappeared from Afghan government property in the chaos of the Taliban (IEA) takeover –  including $5million taken from the presidential palace and tens of millions taken from the vault at the National Directorate of Security,” SIGAR stated.

“Attempts to loot other government funds appear to have been common. Yet with Afghan government records and surveillance videos from those final days likely in Taliban (IEA) hands, SIGAR is currently unable to determine how much money was ultimately stolen, and by whom,” the report stated.

The Russian embassy in Kabul asserted in late August that there was $169 million on board the helicopters, and two days later the Afghan ambassador to Tajikistan, Zahir Aghbar, echoed these claims in a press conference.

Aghbar also vowed to file a request with Interpol to arrest Ghani. However, Aghbar declined to sit for an interview with SIGAR or provide any evidence substantiating this claim.

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Badakhshan Governor, Army Chief reaffirm commitment to Afghanistan’s security

The Badakhshan governor also urged everyone to encourage opposition groups not to destabilize the country and to appreciate the current security situation.

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Badakhshan Governor Mohammad Ismail Ghaznavi said during a public gathering that no individual or group would be allowed to threaten Afghanistan’s security.

Ghaznavi called on opposition groups to stop their disruptive activities and refrain from threatening the security of the country’s citizens. He also addressed the opposition, saying: “What did you achieve during the past twenty years when NATO and U.S. forces were supporting you? We know well how to suppress and fight you, and your dream of taking control of the country may be buried with you.”

The Badakhshan governor also urged everyone to encourage opposition groups not to destabilize the country and to appreciate the current security situation. He said: “Our country needs reconstruction. How long should there be war? Anyone who has a problem should come forward; the doors of the Islamic Emirate are open to them.”

He concluded by saying there is no need for anyone to create disturbances against the Islamic system.

Meanwhile, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of Army Staff of the Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, stressed during a visit to Zebak district of Badakhshan province that security forces will not allow any individual or group to disrupt Afghanistan’s security.

Fitrat, who traveled to Zebak to assess the security situation, said Pakistan had supported some opponents of the Islamic Emirate, but they were defeated by the resistance of the Islamic Emirate’s forces. Following the recent clash in the Topkhana–Chitral area, he announced that security forces are fully prepared to defend the country’s borders and warned that any attempt to create insecurity would be met with a decisive response.

According to sources, during the recent clash between security forces and an armed group attempting to enter Zebak from the Shah Salim area of Chitral, at least five people were killed, several others fled to Pakistan, and Commander Marouf, described as a key commander of the Freedom Front, was killed during the clash and the subsequent pursuit operation by security forces.

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Afghanistan, Uzbekistan reaffirm commitment to expanding agricultural cooperation in Bamyan

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Khodjayev reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to continuing cooperation with Afghanistan, pledging support for investment.

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The Governor of Bamyan province and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Jamshid Khodjayev, have emphasized the importance of expanding economic cooperation, promoting sustainable agriculture, and attracting investment during a meeting in Kabul.

According to the Bamyan Provincial Media Office, the two sides discussed agricultural mechanization, the transfer of technical expertise, the development of the potato industry, and support for local farmers. The governor expressed appreciation for Uzbekistan’s continued cooperation and called for sustained support for agricultural and development projects in Bamyan.

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Khodjayev reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to continuing cooperation with Afghanistan, pledging support for investment, strengthening production capacities, and further developing the agricultural sector in Bamyan province.

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Uzbekistan delegation arrives in Kabul to attend trade forum

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Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce has announced that a high-level delegation from Uzbekistan, comprising government officials and private sector representatives, led by Jamshid Khojaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, arrived in Kabul on Saturday.

According to the ministry’s statement, the delegation was welcomed at Kabul International Airport by Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce added that the purpose of the Uzbek delegation’s visit to Kabul is to hold meetings and discussions with officials of the Islamic Emirate and representatives of Afghanistan’s private sector, as well as to participate in the trade forum.

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