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US watchdog accuses Islamic Emirate of diverting international aid
Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate is using force and other measures to divert international aid, block minority communities from receiving assistance, and may be colluding with U.N. officials to demand kickbacks, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
The findings, based on input from nearly 90 current and former U.S. officials, U.N. personnel, and other sources — including Afghans inside the country — allege that the Islamic Emirate exerts control over aid distribution to direct resources toward its preferred recipients rather than donor-designated communities.
SIGAR reported that one Afghan aid worker who exposed the diversion of food aid to a military training camp was later killed, though responsibility for the killing could not be confirmed.
An Islamic Emirate spokesperson, Hamdullah Fitrat, denied the allegations, stating that international aid is distributed independently and that government agencies cooperate to ensure transparency and prevent misuse. The U.N. has not yet commented on the report, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims.
The watchdog meanwhile also cited allegations from interviewees that U.N. officials sought bribes from companies and humanitarian groups in exchange for contracts, and that some Islamic Emirate officials may have colluded with U.N. personnel to split illicit proceeds.
According to SIGAR, international donors provided $10.72 billion in aid — including $3.83 billion from the United States — between August 2021, when the Islamic Emirate took power, and April 2025, when the Trump administration ended most U.S. assistance.
The report accuses the Islamic Emirate of using both regulatory authority and coercion to influence which humanitarian groups can operate, directing U.S.-funded aid disproportionately to majority Pashtun areas while marginalising minority communities, and extorting humanitarian workers.
The Islamic Emirate has not yet issued an official response to the report.
Pakistan on Friday summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission in Islamabad to convey “strong demarche” over a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan District that killed four Pakistani soldiers.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack was carried out by a faction of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The statement said that Pakistan conveyed “grave concern over the continued support and facilitation” provided by the Islamic Emirate to TTP.
Pakistan has demanded “a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil.”
It urged the Islamic Emirate “to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
According to the statement, the Islamic Emirate has been “categorically informed that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and will take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.”
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are originated from Afghan soil, a charge the Islamic Emirate denies.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has underscored Afghanistan’s continued importance in regional cooperation, saying the country remains one of the key areas of interaction among regional partners.
Addressing the first summit of the “Central Asia Plus Japan” dialogue, Mirziyoyev said participating countries share a common aspiration to see Afghanistan become peaceful, stable, and oriented toward meaningful development.
The Uzbek president praised Japan’s longstanding and consistent support for Afghanistan, noting that Tokyo has for many years been among the leading donors and partners assisting the Afghan people.
He expressed confidence that coordinated efforts and joint contributions by regional countries and Japan would help improve living standards in Afghanistan, advance socio-economic and infrastructure development, and facilitate the country’s active involvement in regional economic projects.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan announced on Friday that the country has allocated $19.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Japanese Embassy said it hopes the aid will help bring positive change to the lives of vulnerable Afghans.
According to the statement, the assistance will cover the basic humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities in Afghanistan.
The embassy added that the aid will be delivered through United Nations agencies, international organizations, and Japanese non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan.
Japan’s total assistance to Afghanistan since August 2021 has reached more than $549 million.
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