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US commits to Afghan asset talks
US President Joe Biden’s administration will press ahead with talks on releasing billions of dollars in Afghanistan’s foreign-held assets despite late al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri’s presence in Kabul and foot-dragging by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and Afghan central bank, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation.
The decision to pursue the initiative to help stabilize Afghanistan’s collapsed economy underscores growing concern in Washington over a humanitarian crisis as the United Nations warns that nearly half the country’s 40 million people face “acute hunger” as winter approaches, Reuters reported.
At the core of the US-led effort, as Reuters reported last month, is a plan to transfer billions in foreign-held Afghan central bank assets into a proposed Swiss-based trust fund.
Disbursements would be made with the help of an international board and bypass the IEA, many of whose leaders are under US and UN sanctions.
US State Department and Treasury officials told independent analysts at an August 11 briefing – 12 days after a CIA drone strike killed al-Qaeda leader Zawahiri on a balcony of his Kabul safehouse – they will pursue the talks despite frustration with the pace, two sources said on condition of anonymity, Reuters reported.
The IEA and Afghan central bank are not acting swiftly, a US official said, according to one source.
The State Department declined to comment on the briefing.
A knowledgeable US source who requested anonymity confirmed the briefing’s substance, Reuters reported.
“The strike did not change the US government’s commitment to setting up the international trust fund” and it is “working with the same speed and alacrity as before the strike,” said the US source.
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Qatar’s Prime Minister meets with Afghanistan’s foreign minister
According to Gulf Times, the two officials reviewed the latest developments in Afghanistan and discussed ways to support the Afghan people.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met with Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi who is currently visiting the country.
According to Gulf Times, the two officials reviewed the latest developments in Afghanistan and discussed ways to support the Afghan people.
Al-Thani emphasized the State of Qatar’s unwavering support for all segments of the Afghan people and its continued efforts to achieve security, stability, prosperity, and a dignified life in Afghanistan.
A source told Ariana News that Muttaqi arrived in Qatar on Sunday. No further details on his trip were given.
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WFP air services in Afghanistan may be suspended due to funding crisis
According to WFP, the organization urgently needs $10.5 million in funding to continue its relief flights in 2025.
The UN’s World Food Program (WFP) in Afghanistan has announced the possible suspension of its air services in the country due to a severe shortage of funding.
WFP is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan and the air services have played a vital role in transporting humanitarian aid, especially to areas difficult to reach by land.
In a message posted on X, the WFP explained that in the past, when roads were blocked, air services were the only way to deliver aid to remote areas of Afghanistan. This aid included food, medicine, and other essential items that are essential for the survival of millions of people in need in Afghanistan.
According to WFP, the organization urgently needs $10.5 million in funding to continue its relief flights in 2025.
In addition, the WFP stated that humanitarian needs in Afghanistan continue to increase and millions of people across the country are dependent on humanitarian assistance.
WFP stated that if air services are stopped, it will become very difficult, if not impossible, to deliver vital aid to areas that are not accessible by road.
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Afghanistan and Iran swap prisoners at Milak border crossing
At the same time, two Iranians serving sentences in Afghan prisons were repatriated to Iran.
Afghanistan and Iran exchanged prisoners at the Milak border crossing in south-eastern Iran on Sunday, officials confirmed.
According to IRNA, almost 200 Afghan prisoners held in Iranian prisons in Tehran, Sistan and Baluchestan and Isfahan were handed over to Afghan authorities at the Milak border in Sistan and Baluchestan.
At the same time, two Iranians serving sentences in Afghan prisons were repatriated to Iran.
Iran’s Deputy Justice Minister for Human Rights and International Affairs, Askar Jalalian, said recently that more than 4,500 foreign nationals detained in Iran had been sent to their home countries.
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