A report prepared for the United States government has revealed the infiltration and control of “terrorists” in humanitarian aid efforts in Afghanistan. According to the report, the Taliban have systematically and purposefully infiltrated international aid agencies in Afghanistan. The Taliban view international aid as a source of income, and aid organizations have lost their bargaining power due to agreements signed with the group’s intelligence. The report states that the Taliban exploits and coerces local relief organizations’ forces to gain credibility. Since the rise of “terrorists and drug traffickers” to power illegally, the misuse of humanitarian aid has increased in an organized manner.
The report, which was commissioned by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and addressed to the Biden administration, has not been publicly released, but a version of it has been obtained by Foreign Policy magazine.
The International Peace Institute (IPI) has prepared a report on the distribution and utilization of humanitarian aid in the past two years in Afghanistan, based on the recommendation of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the Biden administration. The report highlights the infiltration of the Taliban in humanitarian aid efforts. According to the report, the Taliban are systematically and purposefully seeking to alter the direction of international aid in Afghanistan. Although the report has not been publicly released, a version of it has been obtained by Foreign Policy magazine.
Foreign Policy has reported that the Taliban see international aid as a source of income. According to the report, the group utilizes intimidation and coercion against local forces of the United Nations and other non-governmental organizations to exploit and divert humanitarian aid for their profit.
The report indicates that the use of charities and international aid for fundraising existed during the Taliban’s first rule in Afghanistan, but this approach has gained more significance since the group regained power. The report states, “When terrorists and drug traffickers came to power illegally, the importance of humanitarian aid increased [for them].”
Furthermore, the report provides a detailed analysis of Afghanistan’s political and economic devastation during the two years of Taliban rule. The author emphasizes that humanitarian aid is systematically diverted through channels controlled by the Taliban, raising serious questions about the presence of United Nations entities in Afghanistan. The report highlights that the United Nations is responsible for assisting the needy in Afghanistan, but their mission is now under scrutiny. The report states, “It appears that the Taliban view the UN system as another source of income and seek to monopolize and concentrate control over it.”
This report questions the ability of global organizations to control aid flows, including the US providing about two billion dollars since August 15, 2021. The report highlights the increasing trend among the Biden administration and Western countries to legitimize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. However, it emphasizes that the Taliban have taken a confrontational approach instead of addressing the “brutal” policies that have oppressed the people of Afghanistan and turned the country into a haven for global terrorism.
The report raises concerns that at least 19 organizations in Afghanistan are operating unlawfully following orders to exclude women from non-governmental organizations by the Taliban. According to the report, non-discrimination is a fundamental principle of the United Nations Charter, but these organizations are implicitly paying the salaries of women unlawfully for continuing their mission in Afghanistan. The report states, “Many non-governmental organizations are now paying women to stay at home, while the Taliban have ordered them [women] to send their male relatives to work in their place.”
The International Peace Institute (IPI) reports the Taliban’s infiltration of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, while previously the United Nations in Afghanistan stated that the international community had only provided 3.2 billion dollars out of the requested 4.6 billion dollars for humanitarian aid in the country. According to UN reports, about half of Afghanistan’s population requires foreign assistance to survive.
In this report, presented to the Biden administration in May of this year, donors’ reluctance to channel cash to charitable organizations in Afghanistan is described as understandable. The report concludes that “the Taliban remain fiercely and surprisingly cohesive.” Based on the report, the political center of power has shifted from Kabul to Kandahar, and decision-making power revolves around Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban.
The report states that non-governmental organizations are forced to sign memorandums of understanding with ministries managed by the Taliban’s intelligence services. According to the report, the Taliban’s intelligence agency is responsible for overseeing these NGOs, and by signing these memorandums, the ability of aid organizations to operate in Afghanistan is compromised. The report also alleges that the Taliban’s intelligence is responsible for massacring opponents in Nangarhar province.
The report highlights that the United Nations and non-governmental organizations lack collective bargaining power, as they sign bilateral agreements according to the Taliban’s conditions of oversight and control.
Furthermore, the report provides some insights into the Taliban’s financial affairs, but it points out that the utilization of official revenues in Afghanistan by the Taliban remains unclear, and no one knows where and how the country’s official income is being used. The report estimates that about 40% of the government budget is allocated to the group’s security apparatus. It emphasizes, “The Taliban are clearly generating income, but it’s entirely unclear what they’re spending it on.”
The International Peace Institute (IPI) reports extensive infiltration by the Taliban and other “terrorist” groups in aid organizations in Afghanistan. The Ministry of Economy, under Taliban control, has registered over 370 new organizations in the past year in the country, including 21 foreign organizations. However, informed sources from foreign organizations have informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily that some officials at the Ministry indirectly warned them that they would face difficulties if they don’t provide projects to organizations affiliated with the group.
Earlier, the World Food Programme (WFP) stated that over 15 million people in Afghanistan will face severe food insecurity by the end of October 2023. Additionally, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stated that 24.4 million people need humanitarian aid, and 9 out of 10 people in the country are living in poverty. UNAMA describes Afghanistan as being in an unprecedented crisis.
However, it is reported that over $150 million in cash arrives monthly in Kabul. The United Nations emphasizes that this aid is not accessible to the Taliban and is used for providing humanitarian assistance.
