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US senator claims cash shipments still flowing into Afghanistan despite foreign aid freeze
The $40 million weekly cash transfers to Afghanistan started following the take over of power by the Islamic Emirate in 2021
US Senator Tim Burchett said this week that he believes over $40 million of American taxpayers’ dollars is still going to Afghanistan weekly, despite President Donald Trump’s freeze on foreign aid.
Speaking to Breitbart News, the Republican senator said Friday: “We’ve been told that it is, somehow they’re getting it,” he said.
“That’s on the surface that we know about.”
The $40 million weekly cash transfers to Afghanistan were started following the collapse of the former government and the take over of power by the Islamic Emirate.
However, the cash shipments have gone to the United Nations’-led humanitarian assistance program in the country, and the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly, over the years, dismissed claims that they benefit from this money.
In April 2023, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko testified to Congress that the U.S. had made available $8 billion to Afghanistan after the August 2021 withdrawal.
Breitbart News reported however that it is not clear whether the $40 million weekly cash infusions for humanitarian aid are being drawn from the $8 billion and over what time period the $8 billion is meant to last for.
SIGAR has however claimed that the IEA “siphoned or benefited from a considerable amount of humanitarian aid,” by infiltrating United Nations-partnered Non-Governmental Organizations to access their aid budgets; imposing taxes and “security” fees on humanitarian workers; directing aid agencies to serve IEA officials and family members; and taxing Afghan aid recipients at high rates, in some cases amounting to 60 to 100 percent of the aid received.
In December 2023, Burchett however introduced a bill to stop the flow of money to the IEA. The bill passed the US House of Representatives unanimously, but did not gain support in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Last month, Burchett reintroduced his bill, dubbed the No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act.
At the time, Burchett said in a statement: “I look forward to working it through both chambers and getting it to President Trump’s desk as quickly as possible.”
If passed, the bill would force the State Department to develop and implement a policy to oppose any foreign aid from going to the Islamic Emirate; it would require a report on any cash assistance programs in Afghanistan and how the US keeps the IEA from accessing that; and it would require a report on the Afghan Fund and on IEA members attached to Da Afghanistan Bank – the country’s central bank.
Speaking to Breitbart News, Burchett said his father “used to have a saying, ‘Old men make decisions and young men die.’”
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Pakistan orders undocumented Afghan nationals to leave by July 10
Pakistan has set July 10 as the final deadline for undocumented Afghan nationals to leave the country, with authorities ordered to launch a nationwide crackdown on those who remain without legal status after the deadline expires.
The Ministry of Interior has instructed provincial governments, police chiefs and the Islamabad administration to strictly enforce the directive. From July 10, officials will begin operations targeting Afghan nationals living illegally in Pakistan, while anyone found without valid documentation faces arrest.
Starting July 11, provincial authorities will be required to submit daily reports to the Interior Ministry detailing the number of undocumented Afghans identified, the action taken against them, and their legal or custodial status.
The ministry has described the operation as a top priority and called for its immediate implementation across the country.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over security concerns. Pakistani authorities have repeatedly accused militant groups of using Afghan territory to stage attacks, allegations the Islamic Emirate administration has consistently denied.
Earlier this week, Pakistan said a suspected militant arrested after an attack on a Pakistan Rangers Sindh camp claimed to have entered the country from Afghanistan with three accomplices. In a recorded confession released by authorities, the suspect alleged links between the group and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, as well as support from individuals based in Afghanistan.
The Afghan government has not responded to the latest claims, and the allegations have not been independently verified.
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UNAMA confirms death of 28 civilians following Pakistani airstrikes on eastern Afghanistan
At least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others injured in Pakistani airstrikes on three eastern Afghan provinces late Sunday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Monday, warning that the toll could rise as hospitals continue treating the wounded.
In a statement, UNAMA said the strikes hit Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces on the evening of June 28. Women and children were among those killed and injured, according to the UN mission.
The deadliest attack took place at around 11:30 p.m. in Chamkani district of Paktia province, where at least 22 civilians were killed and 47 others wounded.
Around the same time, a separate airstrike in Gyan district of neighboring Paktika province killed six civilians. A third strike in Marawara district of Kunar province injured two children.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed that Pakistani security forces had carried out airstrikes in the three Afghan provinces.
UNAMA said it is continuing to verify the incidents and emphasized that the casualty figures remain preliminary.
“The figures are preliminary and may increase as hospitals continue to treat the injured,” the mission said.
The UN mission renewed its call for all parties to comply with international humanitarian law, stressing the principles of precaution, distinction and proportionality to protect civilians during military operations.
UNAMA also expressed its condolences to the families of those killed and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Meanwhile, the casualty figures released by the Islamic Emirate are higher. According to the Islamic Emirate, 36 civilians were killed and 163 others injured in the Pakistani military’s recent airstrikes on eastern Afghanistan.
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Afghanistan summons Pakistani diplomat over airspace violations and civilian bombing
Afghanistan strongly protested against the violation of its airspace and the bombing of civilian residential areas, delivering a firm and formal objection to the Pakistani diplomat.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan has summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul in response to overnight airstrikes in the provinces of Kunar, Paktia, and Paktika.
According to the Ministry, Afghanistan strongly protested against the violation of its airspace and the bombing of civilian residential areas, delivering a firm and formal objection to the Pakistani diplomat.
The Ministry described the recent attacks as a clear violation of international principles, humanitarian law, and Afghanistan’s national sovereignty, condemning them in the strongest possible terms.
The statement further noted that Pakistan has, over the past few years, attempted to deflect its internal security and political failures by making baseless accusations against Afghanistan.
It added that such actions not only fail to address existing challenges but also seriously damage bilateral trust, good neighborly relations, and regional stability.
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