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A sizeable amount of US money went into IEA’s pockets: John Sopko
John Sopko, former US special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, said on Wednesday that a sizeable amount of US taxpayers’ money went into the pockets of the Islamic Emirate.
“We know it is going to continue because unfortunately we have nobody on the ground and the money is going through the UN, world food organization (WFP) and other international organizations, and we don’t really have good oversight,” Sopko told Fox Business.
He said that he was not sure if the US foreign aid pause by the Trump administration includes money going directly to the UN and other international organizations.
Sopko said that the US international aid agency (USAID) continues to be a “broken agency.”
He said USAID workers in Afghanistan told SIGAR: “You can’t believe what we are doing. And we use that for a lot of our reports. But none of that got up to Washington. That is why you heard all the happy talk – we are winning the war, we are helping the kids, we are building schools, we are doing all this – and it turned out they built schools but they never looked if there were any teachers. They built hospitals but they never looked if there was any water or drugs or even patients.”
Sopko said that the whole objective was to spend the money, and it wasn’t just for USAID, but the US Department of Defense and the Department of State.
“The test was: did you spend your appropriated funds, and if you didn’t, you lost money, if you didn’t, you weren’t promoted. And that is the whole delusion we had between the reality on the ground and what the American people were being told by the aid administrators, the ambassadors, the generals and everybody for the last 20 years,” he said.
Earlier, John Sopko claimed that the Islamic Emirate is diverting or otherwise benefitting from a considerable amount of U.S. assistance.
IEA, however, has rejected the claim.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has signed a 30-year agreement with a private company to extract marble in Daikundi province.
Under the contract, the company will invest AFN 283 million in exploring and mining marble at the “Mesh-Uliya” site, spanning 16.74 square kilometers in central Daikundi.
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, stated that the marble will be processed domestically before being exported abroad. He added that the Mesh-Uliya project is expected to create around 200 jobs, and the company is committed to supporting local communities through social initiatives.
Economic experts highlight that such investments, especially those focusing on domestic processing, are crucial for job creation, boosting exports, and strengthening the national economy. Analysts further note that the project will improve local infrastructure, expand social services, and enhance the economic and social well-being of Daikundi residents.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, efforts to develop Afghanistan’s mining sector have intensified, with multiple contracts signed in areas including cement, copper, iron, and lapis lazuli, involving both domestic and international companies.
A passenger bus veered off the Salang Highway before dawn on Sunday, leaving five people dead and 44 others injured, the Ministry of Public Works said.
According to the ministry, the incident occurred at around 2:00 a.m. in the Shawol area of North Salang when a passenger bus deviated from the main road due to the driver’s negligence.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said five passengers were killed and 44 others sustained injuries. He added that personnel from the Salang Maintenance and Protection Directorate promptly arrived at the scene and transferred the injured to the Khunjān clinic for medical treatment.
The Ministry of Public Works has urged drivers and passengers traveling on the Salang Highway to strictly follow the instructions of on-duty teams, observe traffic regulations, and carry warm clothing, food supplies, and snow chains to prevent similar incidents.
The ministry also noted that heavy snowfall and stormy weather have led to the temporary closure of the highway, while road maintenance teams are continuing snow-clearing operations.
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Major fire in Mandawi Kabul market contained, extensive losses prevented
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
The Ministry of Interior reported that personnel from the General Directorate of Firefighting and Emergency Response successfully prevented the further spread of a fire at Mandawi market on Kabul early Sunday morning.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the ministry, said that the fire destroyed 10 storage facilities and 8 shops. He added that initial losses are estimated at around $700,000, but timely action by firefighting personnel saved property worth approximately $2.2 million.
Qani explained that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. He praised the rapid and effective containment operations, which prevented more extensive damage.
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
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