The US House Foreign Affairs Committee voted on Wednesday in favor of a bill to prevent American aid falling into the hands of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

This issue has been a key focus for House Republicans since last Congress when lawmakers were made aware that weekly cash shipments of $40 million were being sent to Afghanistan’s IEA-controlled central bank.

Additionally, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction reported in May 2024 that more than $10 million had been paid to the IEA in the form of taxes since they regained power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

“The United States has sent over $5 billion in cash to Kabul,” said Rep. Tim Burchett who sponsored the bill. “This money has been taxed and stolen by the Taliban (IEA), yet we continue to send it oddly enough. That definitely needs to end. The State Department needs to ensure that that any aid, whether financial or material, does not go to terrorists in Afghanistan. We need to have a clear understanding of the influence the Taliban has on, not just international aid, but the Afghan banking system as well.”

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast said: “This bill requires the Department of State to develop and implement a strategy to discourage foreign countries and non-government organizations, NGOs, from providing financial and material support to the Taliban (IEA). That’s important for the United States of America. We don’t have an embassy there. We don’t have diplomatic relations with the Taliban (IEA) – they are a terrorist organization.”

He added: “This includes by using U.S.-provided foreign assistance to discourage countries and organizations from providing support to the Taliban (IEA). We don’t want American tax dollars, in any way, shape or form, going to the Taliban (IEA).”

The bill, which has 23 co-sponsors, advanced to the House floor.

The Islamic Emirate has previously rejected claims of interference in international assistance to Afghanistan. 

An explosion occurred at police headquarters in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province on Thursday morning, injuring several guards, local officials said.

Asadullah Jamshid, spokesman for Kandahar police, said on X that the blast was triggered by container-loaded old ammunitions belonging to the counter-narcotics department.

He said that several guards were injured and windows of several rooms were broken as a result of the explosion.

Jamshid said security forces and firefighters rushed to the scene to prevent further explosions.

Following the intensification of the deportation process of refugees from Pakistan, Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) has started distributing free mobile phone SIM cards to returnees, in addition to providing telecommunications and internet services.

AWCC officials said they are also offering free voice calls and internet packages for the migrants.

“We are distributing SIM cards to the migrants being deported from Pakistan,” said Ibrarullah Zahir, the Sales Manager of AWCC in the eastern zone.

The company’s officials emphasized that they are offering these free telecommunications and internet services to returnees as part of the company’s social responsibility initiatives.

Meanwhile, local authorities in Nangarhar called on all telecom networks to provide 24-hour services to returnees.

Zabihullah Zaki, the head of the Telecommunications and Information Technology Department in Nangarhar, said they are monitoring the situation of the migrants and added that telecommunications companies are cooperating in this regard.

Attaullah Sahil, head of AWCC in the eastern zone, said the company’s teams are available 24/7 to provide services to returning migrants in the area.

Meanwhile, returnees have welcomed AWCC’s initiative of distributing SIM cards to them and for other free services.

Pakistan has this month ramped up its campaign to deport hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees, many of whom have lived in that country for decades.

Return refugees have, however, reported that Afghans in Pakistan are facing increasing harassment and the confiscation of their belongings by Pakistani authorities.