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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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IEA condemns explosion in Islamabad
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has strongly condemned the explosion in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, as well as the attack on an educational center in Wana, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of people.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday expressed the Islamic Emirate’s condolences following this attack.
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Afghanistan and Kazakhstan pledge deeper cooperation in trade and technology during phone talks
During the call, Minister Kosherbayev expressed his condolences to the Afghan people following the recent devastating earthquakes.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, held a telephone conversation with Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister, Yermek Kosherbayev, to discuss strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry announced.
During the call, Minister Kosherbayev expressed his condolences to the Afghan people following the recent devastating earthquakes and said Kazakhstan would dispatch a humanitarian mission to Kabul, including medical personnel, medicines, and essential supplies.
Muttaqi thanked Kazakhstan for its continued support and noted that two humanitarian aid consignments—amounting to 3,700 tons—had already been delivered to Afghanistan this year.
Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, banking, mining, and digital technologies, and agreed to maintain regular political dialogue aimed at deepening friendly relations between the two countries.
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Pakistan PM says peace depends on Kabul curbing militants
Sharif also commended Türkiye and Qatar for their role in facilitating peace talks between Pakistan and the IEA, adding that “a peaceful Afghanistan holds the key to regional connectivity, peace, and prosperity.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) must ensure that militant groups operating from Afghan soil are restrained, emphasizing that regional peace depends on it.
“Afghanistan must understand that lasting peace can only be realized by reining in Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other terrorist groups operating from its territory,” the prime minister said while addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference in Islamabad.
He noted that the theme of the conference, Peace, Security and Development, was both timely and relevant, especially for Pakistan, which has long advocated for peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
“We firmly believe that peace and security form the foundation of sustainable national and regional development,” he said, adding that “the true value of peace is most profoundly understood when we are confronted with conflicts that continue to plague our world.”
Referring to recent clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Shehbaz described Islamabad’s response as “firm and decisive,” saying it had delivered “an unforgettable lesson.”
He also commended Türkiye and Qatar for their role in facilitating peace talks between Pakistan and the IEA, adding that “a peaceful Afghanistan holds the key to regional connectivity, peace, and prosperity.”
“Peace has remained elusive for decades, but Pakistan has never lost hope,” the prime minister said. “We believe in a peaceful neighborhood and continue to strive toward that goal.”
His remarks came just days after the third round of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul ended without agreement. Negotiators, with mediation from Türkiye and Qatar, failed to bridge differences on mechanisms to monitor and prevent cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif later stated that the negotiations were “over” and had “entered an indefinite phase.” He added that while the ceasefire remained in place, any violation “from their side” would be met with a “befitting response.”
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that three senior Turkish officials are expected to visit Islamabad this week to discuss tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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