US doesn’t withhold $1 billion aid to Afghanistan?

Although Pompeo vowed to “immediately” cut the sum, the US Defense Department has not withheld $1 billion in funding from Afghan security forces.

Reuters reported three sources familiar with the matter that the Pentagon had been reluctant to cut the funds announced by Secretary of State Pompeo, and that the Defense Secretary Mark Esper had not provided guidance on how to do so.

The report writes that it was unclear why the cut has not been made, whether President Donald Trump’s administration may have decided not to reduce the funding or if there was some disconnect between the State and Defense Departments.

Although the White House National Security Council referred queries to the Defense and State Departments, there has not been any response; however, a Pentagon spokesman has said that the State and Defense Departments were working on how to carry them out.

An army official has said, “Secretary Esper supports the Department of State efforts to encourage the Afghanistan government to move forward with the inter-Afghan peace process.”

There are reports that the Pentagon was concerned about the decision of making the cut.