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SIGAR finds US aid vetting failures may have benefited militants in Afghanistan
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs could not provide enough documentation to prove their adherence, Reuters reported.
![](https://www.ariananews.af/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/US-aid-Afghanistan.jpg)
Two State Department bureaus could not prove compliance with internal policies for vetting aid groups in Afghanistan that received $293 million in funds, Washington’s Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said Wednesday.
“It is critical that State knows who is actually benefiting from this assistance in order to prevent the aid from being diverted to the Taliban (Islamic Emirate) or other sanctioned parties,” said the latest SIGAR report.
According to the report, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has tried to obtain US aid funds “through several means, including the establishment of humanitarian organizations,” underscoring the need for the department to “fully and consistently assess the risks posed by its implementing partners.”
SIGAR said three of five State Department bureaus were found in compliance with department regulations requiring vetting of aid fund recipients.
But the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs could not provide enough documentation to prove their adherence, Reuters reported.
“State could not demonstrate compliance with its partner vetting requirements on awards that disbursed at least $293 million in Afghanistan,” the report stated.
For that reason, “there is an increased risk that terrorists and terrorist-affiliated individuals and entities may have illegally benefitted,” it said.
The department agreed with the report’s conclusions and would “work to ensure compliance” with vetting requirements, it said.
The US remains the largest aid donor to Afghanistan nearly three years after the IEA regained power.
Since the US withdrawal was completed on Aug. 30, 2021, Washington has provided more than $17.9 billion in assistance to Afghanistan.
The Islamic Emirate rejects claims of misuse of aid from the international community, including the United States of America.
The Ministry of Economy has also rejected the misuse of humanitarian aid and says that the aid is provided to deserving and needy people in a transparent and trustworthy manner.
The United States remains the largest donor to Afghanistan.
Previously SIGAR reported that during the last three years, US aid implementation partners in Afghanistan have paid at least $10.9 million in taxes and money for water and electricity to the current Afghan government.
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AWCC activates 4G internet services in Nangarhar’s Shirzad district
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Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) officials say they have activated 4G internet services for the first time in Shirzad district of Nangarhar province.
Attaullah Sahil, head of AWCC in the eastern zone, said that this company has decided to expand telecommunication and internet services in Nangarhar in the future.
The local officials also welcomed this move of Afghan Wireless and said that the residents of this district were deprived of telecommunication services for the past 20 years.
This area used to be a war zone. Here, people did not use the internet. It is hoped that people’s problems will be resolved with the activation of 4G internet services,” said Shukrullah Sedaqat, deputy police command in Nangarhar.
The local residents, while thanking the officials of Afghan Wireless, have asked them to further expand the services of this company in this district.
“We are very grateful to the employees of Afghan Wireless,” said a Nangarhar resident.
“We are very happy, we want such cooperation to continue,” said another resident.
Since the IEA’s takeover, AWCC has covered not only Nangarhar but also many remote areas of eastern provinces such as Kunar, Laghman and Nuristan, which in the past did not have telecommunication services due to war and insecurity.
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Mining minister meets senior Turkmen officials
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Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum Hedayatullah Badri during his trip to Turkmenistan met separately with the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Cabinet, the Minister of Oil and Gas, the heads of TAPI, Industry and Urban Development and Railway Directorate.
The ministry’s spokesperson Homayoun Afghan announced that Badri discussed with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan about TAPI, TAP, railway line, optical fiber, oil and gas and trade deals.
He also shared his opinions and suggestions about oil and gas and TAPI project with the relevant Turkmen officials.
The Minister of Industry and Urban Development of Turkmenistan expressed his interest in iron mining and the Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum assured all-round cooperation in this field, and also proposed to build a joint complex in Herat province.
In a meeting with the head of Turkmenistan’s railway department, Badri, while pointing out the importance of the railway, demanded the development of the railway to Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif.
He added that this work is not only important for Afghanistan, but also good news for the countries of the region.
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Pakistan’s Khan says IEA was ready to cooperate against TTP during his government
While talking to reporters, Khan rejected the criticism of his party’s government over resettling alleged terrorists.
![](https://www.ariananews.af/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Imran-Khan-Jail.jpg)
Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, has claimed his government was “actively engaged” with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on cross-border terrorism and that Kabul was “ready to cooperate”.
While talking to reporters, Khan rejected the criticism of his party’s government over resettling alleged terrorists.
He said after the fall of Kabul in 2021, Pakistan asked the IEA to eliminate the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and they were ready to cooperate.
Pakistani officials have claimed that the TTP is operating in Afghanistan for attacks in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry and its military have repeatedly called on the Islamic Emirate to take action against the TTP.
The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied the allegations, saying Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan’s “security failure”.
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