Biden admin shuns queries on aid for Afghanistan: SIGAR

KABUL (Khaama Press): Since the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, it has reportedly received nearly 14 packages of $40 million and more than 30 packages of $32 million, surpassing $1 billion, while it remains vague as to who uses the amount and how.
The Biden administration, at the same time, is accused of withholding information, and obstructing inquiries about $1.1 billion in aid for Afghanistan, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
Inquiries regarding $1.1 billion in humanitarian aid used “to support the Afghan people since the Taliban’s takeover” have been obstructed by the Biden administration, according to SIGAR, a watchdog known for strong criticism of excessive US spending in Afghanistan.
As stated by the head of SIGAR, “for the first time in its history is unable this quarter to provide Congress and the American people with a full accounting of this US government spending due to the non-cooperation of several US government agencies.”
The US SIGAR chief, John Sopko, was cited by the Bloomberg when it stated that the Treasury Department and the US Agency for International Development have refused to cooperate on humanitarian relief for Afghanistan.
John Sopko believes that the 1990s have returned to Afghanistan. The Taliban seized power in the second half of the 1990s and remained in power until 2001, leaving Afghanistan in a bleak situation.
In response to the remarks made by the US special inspector, Ned Price, the spokesperson for the US State Department, stated that Sapko’s line of work does not encompass the investigation into humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
According to his report, USAID and the State Department argued that the ongoing US assistance is “humanitarian and development assistance” rather than a component of the funding that Sopko is in charge of.
Examining US finances for Afghanistan’s reconstruction is part of the inspector general’s duty, but since that support halted with the Taliban’s takeover, attention is now being paid to humanitarian relief, which is outside the scope of Sopko’s mandate, they argued.