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SIGAR reports a large percentage of US aid is being diverted to the IEA
The US Inspector General for the Reconstruction of Afghanistan (SIGAR) John Sopko said Tuesday the Islamic Emirate is diverting or otherwise benefitting from a considerable amount of U.S. assistance.
Testifying at a hearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs US House of Representatives, Sopko shared how US funds have been provided to or diverted by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) since the collapse of the former government in August 2021.
He said: “SIGAR has found that Taliban (IEA) officials routinely pressure US partners to hire Taliban allies, insist that US partners contract with Taliban-affiliated companies, dictate which Afghans should receive US aid, demand payoffs from US partners before a project can begin, divert US food aid to Taliban soldiers, and tax recipients of aid once it is delivered.
“This interference in and diversion of US assistance is worrying and presents multiple risks,” Sopko said.
He stated however, “over the last 12 years, SIGAR documented extensive diversion of US assistance by the prior Karzai and Ghani regimes. Similarly, experts have noted that diversion and interference are common among other autocratic regimes the US government has sought to bypass to get aid directly to vulnerable populations. Nevertheless, the diversion of humanitarian assistance by the Taliban (IEA) is of particular concern given the humanitarian crisis the populace face as well as the Taliban’s terrorist ties.”
“Unlike with the prior Afghan governments, diverted funds now may fund terrorist activities in addition to enriching the pockets of corrupt officials,” he said.
Meanwhile in his opening speech to the House, at the same hearing, Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the Biden administration for its policies on Afghanistan and said there had been no plans in place to support the Afghan people nor to secure enduring peace post withdrawal.
He called the IEA “terrorists” who “oppress” the Afghan people, adding that “they steal humanitarian aid from starving Afghans.”
He also criticized the IEA for the edicts against women and girls.
“What troubles me is that the Biden administration is pursuing a policy of engagement at all costs and has failed to hold the Taliban (IEA) to account for their crimes.
“The Biden administration meet with the Taliban (IEA) frequently, praise the Taliban often, and haphazardly send billions of tax-payers dollars to Afghanistan.
“Through these policies the Biden administration has all but recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
He also claimed the IEA had equipped the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) with weapons left behind by the US, and that the TTP is “increasingly conducting terrorist attacks while al-Qaeda remains”safely in Afghanistan under Taliban (IEA) protection.”
However, the Islamic Emirate rejected Sopko’s statements that the IEA is either benefiting or diverting US aid and said the claims were baseless.
“America and Western countries do not cooperate with and help the Islamic Emirate, and regarding the [special] inspector general of the United States of America for the reconstruction of Afghanistan that you mentioned, neither does it have any official office in Afghanistan, nor does it coordinate with the officials of the Islamic Emirate, so neither their statements nor their claims have any validity,” said Bilal Karimi, the IEA’s Deputy Spokesman.
The Islamic Emirate also rejected McCaul’s statements on the the IEA having close ties with terrorist groups including the TTP and al-Qaeda and said officials do not have any documents nor evidence to prove their statements, and that the claims were merely propaganda.
The construction of a water canal, planned by the late Japanese doctor and aid worker Tetsu Nakamura, has been completed in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province.
Nakamura was from Japan, but had honorary citizenship of Afghanistan. He was killed in 2019.
He worked in Nangarhar for many years, focusing mainly on building water canals.
Nakamura was working hard to complete his projects, but these were suspended following his death.
Later, the projects were resumed with the help of the government of Japan.
During his time in Nangarhar, Nakamura built several health centers and carried out more than 1,600 irrigation projects, canal constructions and provision of clean water.
His greatest work was the construction of a 25-kilometer long canal from the Kunar river, which irrigates hundreds of acres of land.
He also built a recreation park, dug wells, and established agricultural research farms.
“Dr. Nakamura made 9 weirs in Kama, Shewa and Behsud districts. Thousands of acres of land are irrigated and millions of people benefit from it. All the projects planned by Nakamura have been completed,” said Ajmal Stankzai, the representative of the Nakamura Foundation.
“Nakamura would behave with a laborer like a laborer. He would take stones with us. He used to tell us that the people of every country serve their country and you should also serve the ruined Afghanistan,” said Deen Mohammad, a resident of Koz Kanar district of Nangarhar.
In Kama district, the work of Nakamura projects is ongoing. One of the projects is the construction of a secon canal from the Kunar river.
“There was a huge water problem in Kama district. Fortunately, with Nakamura’s cooperation, many lands were irrigated,” said Bashir Ahmad Kamawal, a resident of Kama district of Nangarhar.
After Nakamura’s death, now an NGO called PMS is following in his footsteps and is working to build canals and dams.
Recently, the construction of a canal in Kot district of Nangarhar was completed and inaugurated. The canal is 5 kilometers long.
“Many projects are planned and our ministry has taken care of them… We thank them for feeling the pain of Afghans and helping our country,” said Abdul Latif Mansour, Acting Minister of Energy and Water.
Tetsu Nakamura was shot and killed by unknown men in 2019 when he was going to work from Jalalabad city. It is not yet known who was behind the assassination.
A deminer died in a landmine explosion in Afghanistan’s southern Uruzgan province on Tuesday, police said.
The incident happened around 10:00 a.m. in Khurma area of provincial capital Trink Kot, said Hazrat Bilal Uruzgani, the provincial police spokesman.
Another deminer was injured in the incident, he said
Uruzgani said that the incident happened during an operation to clear the area from mines.
Afghanistan’s acting minister of public health Dr Qalandar Ebad, along with other officials, visited a number of flood-hit villages in Baghlan province on Tuesday.
The officials assessed damage in the villages of Sai Hazara and Gharo in the Guzargah district.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, Ebad inspected “vulnerable areas affected by recent floods and, expressing sympathy with the local people, promised that the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health will spare no effort to provide health services to those in need.”
Ebad also expressed gratitude for the efforts of healthcare workers and their commitment to helping people in need.
He directed officials to make every effort “to improve the health status of patients affected by recent floods in the villages of Sai Hazara and Gharo, Baghlan province”.
Based on official figures, more than 300 people have died as a result of floods in Baghlan province and over 1,600 others have been injured.
Nakamura canal project completed in Nangarhar
Deminer killed in landmine explosion in Uruzgan
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Acting health minister visits flood-stricken villages in Baghlan
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Afghanistan announce T20 World Cup 2024 squad
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Tahawol: Uzbek delegation’s visit to Kabul discussed
Saar: UNAMA head’s meeting with Iranian officials discussed
Tahawol: Efforts to address families affected by floods
Floods & people’s behavior on this natural phenomenon discussed
Tahawol: Devastating floods in Baghlan & Takhar discussed
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