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US court blocks 9/11 victims’ bid for Afghanistan’s frozen funds
The families had argued that Afghanistan’s reserves should be used as compensation because the IEA provided safe haven to al-Qaeda, the group behind the attacks.
A US federal appeals court has rejected efforts by families of victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks and the 1998 al-Qaeda embassy bombings in Africa to claim billions of dollars from Afghanistan’s frozen central bank reserves.
In its August 21 ruling, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said that the $3.5 billion held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is protected under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), which shields state-owned assets from seizure.
The court stressed that Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), the country’s central bank, is a state institution and therefore immune from claims targeting the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
The families had argued that Afghanistan’s reserves should be used as compensation because the IEA provided safe haven to al-Qaeda, the group behind the attacks.
But the court found the plaintiffs failed to prove that the central bank was under IEA control on August 15, 2021, when Kabul fell and the assets were frozen. While the IEA later replaced senior bank officials, Judge José Cabranes noted there was no evidence of such control at the time of the freeze.
The funds were blocked by the Biden administration following the IEA takeover in 2021. The victims’ families sought access through the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), but the court ruled they could not show that DAB was being used as a “terrorist instrument.”
The decision marks a major setback for families pursuing long-standing compensation claims against al-Qaeda and its backers.
Al-Qaeda carried out the September 11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, as well as the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed 224 people.
The General Examination Authority held a ceremony in Kabul on Sunday to honor the top ten achievers of the 2026 Kankor university entrance examination, which was attended by several senior officials of the Islamic Emirate.
Speaking at the event, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, head of the General Examination Authority, said it has consistently worked to ensure a transparent examination process and uphold fairness by awarding candidates based on merit. He added that Afghanistan requires both modern and religious education systems.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Administrative Deputy Prime Minister, said the Islamic Emirate has utilized available resources to support the development of education and higher learning. He called on students to remain committed to contributing to the country’s reconstruction and future development.
Around 117,000 candidates took part in the 2026 Kankor examination, with more than 74,000 gaining admission to higher education institutions across the country.
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OIC, Muslim World League discuss support for Afghanistan on sidelines of Islamabad conference
Senior officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Muslim World League (MWL) have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and support Afghanistan amid ongoing humanitarian and development challenges.
The meeting between OIC Assistant Secretary-General Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet and MWL Secretary-General Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa was held on Saturday on the sidelines of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, which began on Sunday in Islamabad with the participation of delegates from 57 OIC member states.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation and agreed to launch several joint programs aimed at serving Islamic causes and broadening areas of joint work.
They also exchanged views on recent developments in Afghanistan, discussing ways to support the Afghan people in overcoming humanitarian and development challenges. Both sides emphasized the importance of coordinated Islamic and international efforts to provide necessary assistance and sustain relief and humanitarian initiatives.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador Bakheet conveyed the OIC’s appreciation for the Muslim World League’s efforts, under the leadership of Al-Issa, in promoting moderation and balance and serving the causes of the Muslim Ummah.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed its condolences following the death of Qatar’s former Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died at the age of 74, extending sympathies to the Qatari government, the family and the people of Qatar.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Islamic Emirate said it received the news of Sheikh Hamad’s death “with utmost sorrow and grief,” adding the Quranic phrase: “Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.”
The statement conveyed condolences to the Government of the State of Qatar, the family of the late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the “fraternal Qatari people” over the loss.
The Islamic Emirate also prayed for Allah to grant the former emir His boundless mercy, admit him to the highest level of Paradise, and bestow patience and abundant reward upon his family and loved ones.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani served as emir of Qatar from 1995 until 2013. He was widely credited with transforming Qatar into a major regional and global player through rapid modernization, economic development and an increasingly active foreign policy before voluntarily handing power to his son, the current Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in 2013.
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