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US slaps sanctions on two former Afghan officials for corruption
The United States said on Monday it put sanctions on two former Afghan officials and 44 related entities for a corruption scheme in which they allegedly siphoned off millions of dollars in U.S. government funds meant for Afghan security forces, Reuters reported.
The Treasury named the two as Mir Rahman Rahmani, who served in parliament before the Afghan government collapsed in 2021 when U.S. forces withdrew and the Islamic Emirate took over, and his son Ajmal Rahmani, another legislator nicknamed "Armored Ajmal" for his business selling bulletproof vehicles to the Kabul elite.
"Through their Afghan companies, the Rahmanis perpetrated a complex procurement corruption scheme resulting in the misappropriation of millions of dollars from U.S. Government-funded contracts that supported Afghan security forces," the Treasury Department said in a statement.
The sanctions, imposed one day after Human Rights Day, block U.S. assets of those targeted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. Those who engage in certain transactions with them also risk being hit with sanctions, Reuters reported.
The sanctions come under an executive order that builds on and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.
In its statement, the Treasury described several alleged schemes under which the Rahmanis enriched themselves.
It accused them of rigging bids for contracts to provide fuel to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), artificially inflating prices.
"In 2014, several families involved in the fuel business, including the Rahmanis, colluded to drive up the price of fuel on U.S.-funded contracts by more than $200 million and eliminate competitor bids," the Treasury Department said.
In another scheme, it accused them of fraudulently importing and selling tax free fuel and also of under-delivering fuel they were under contract to supply, read the report.
"After bribing their way into the Afghan Parliament, the Rahmanis used their official positions to perpetuate their corrupt system," the Treasury added.
The Treasury also sanctioned 44 companies, 23 of them German, eight Cypriot, six Emirati, two Afghan, two Austrian, two Dutch and one Bulgarian.
Separately, the White House issued a proclamation expanding the U.S. government's authority to limit the entry of foreigners involved in significant corruption as well as their family members, Reuters reported.
Balkh police said 22 rockets exploded in a residential house in the northern Afghan province on Friday.
The incident occurred in Bist Pikal village in Chaharbulak district when a gas cylinder caught fire, Balkh police said in a statement.
According to the statement, the ammunition was illegally stored in the house.
The statement added that the incident did not cause any casualties but caused huge financial losses.
A Republican US senator has reportedly blocked the promotion of the last soldier to leave Afghanistan.
Christopher Donahue, 55, has been nominated by US President Joe Biden to lead the US army in Europe.
However, the Guardian reported on Friday that his name was not on the list of 1,000 people whose promotions were approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee.
According to the report, Senator Markwayne Mullin has blocked Donahue’s promotion at the request of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team.
The move comes amid separate reports that the incoming Trump administration is considering courts martial, for offenses including treason, for officers involved in the evacuation.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador and special representative for Afghanistan met late Thursday with Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s deputy special political envoy for Kabul and they stressed the increase of cooperation with Afghanistan, the embassy said in a statement.
In this meeting, Qomi told Gagnon that Iran would support any initiative taken by the international community for Afghanistan.
In the meeting of Georgette Gagnon with Mr. Kazemi, the issue of narcotics and the presence of the private sector in Afghanistan were discussed, and Iran supports any constructive initiative of the international community for Afghanistan,” according to the statement.
Experts, meanwhile, believe the solutions of the United Nations to cooperate with Afghanistan's neighboring countries in consolidating stability and security can solve key issues such as terrorism and immigration.
Some experts consider strengthening Iran's partnership and cooperation with the UN for greater stability in Afghanistan is important and necessary.
However, Iran has not yet recognized the caretaker government of Afghanistan and has repeatedly emphasized the establishment of a comprehensive government in the country.
Over the past three years, Iran has established good relations with the Islamic Emirate, and trade between the two countries has increased.
Meanwhile, Tehran has previously opposed the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan by the United Nations.
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