US Provided $21 Billion In Aid To Afghanistan In Past 3 Years, Reports SIGAR

Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) reported that Washington has provided approximately $21 billion in aid to Afghanistan since 2021.

According to SIGAR, this funding has been allocated for humanitarian aid, the relocation and resettlement of refugees, and the repayment of Afghanistan’s foreign assets.

Humanitarian Aid

The report detailed that of the $20.71 billion provided since August 2021, $2.97 billion was spent on humanitarian and development aid. SIGAR specified that this aid was used in four areas: humanitarian assistance ($2.029 billion), development ($458 million), agency operations ($316 million), and security ($100 million).

However, SIGAR did not explain the nature of the "agency operations" and "security" expenditures in Afghanistan.

According to the report, these funds were disbursed from October 2021 till the end of June 2024 through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and affiliated United Nations agencies.

Repayment of Afghanistan’s Foreign Assets

The report noted that an additional $3.5 billion was transferred to Afghanistan’s trust fund for the repayment of the country's foreign assets, which were to be managed on behalf of the Afghan people.

These assets, frozen in the US following the Taliban's takeover, were moved to a Swiss trust fund to be held under its oversight for the Afghan people.

By June 28, 2024, the total value of these assets, including accrued interest, had reached $3.84 billion.

Aid for Refugee Relocation and Resettlement

SIGAR added that $8.7 billion was allocated for the relocation and resettlement operations of Afghan evacuees in United States. The report did not provide detailed expenditures for this amount.

According to SIGAR, $5.36 billion was spent by the US Department of Defence on an overseas programme including civilian aid, humanitarian issues, and disaster response, though specific details of this programme were not included.

SIGAR's report also highlighted that the US Department of Health and Human Services committed $3 billion, and the Department of Homeland Security committed $284 million for assistance to Afghans.

Counter-Narcotics Efforts

The report noted a significant reduction in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan following an order issued by Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada on April 3, 2022. Despite this, SIGAR questioned how the Taliban managed to reduce poppy cultivation so quickly, given that the US and its allies had spent $9 billion over two decades with limited success.

SIGAR believes that the decrease in poppy cultivation and the rise in drug prices have complicated the drug situation in Afghanistan. Despite the reduction in poppy cultivation, Afghanistan's economy remains heavily dependent on drug production.

The report mentioned that before Akhundzada’s order, landowners were allowed to store large quantities of drugs. Additionally, certain areas continued poppy cultivation despite the ban. As a result, the high-value drug trade persisted after the decree. In 2023, the price of a kilogram of opium in Kandahar was $263, compared to $160 the previous year. In Nangarhar, the price per kilogram was $362 in 2023, up from $220 the previous year.

International Community’s Engagement with the Taliban

SIGAR reported that the international community’s engagement with the Taliban continued in the first quarter of 2024, both at the international and regional levels. The report cited the third Doha meeting and the participation of a Taliban delegation as an example of ongoing engagement. The report also mentioned ongoing relations between regional countries and the Taliban, including trade exchanges.

Despite this, SIGAR noted that during the reporting period (ending June 30), Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister and a US-designated "terrorist," left Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban’s rise to power, visiting the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Both countries are US allies and host US military forces. SIGAR, referencing the Long War Journal, suggested that Haqqani’s travel undermines the global fight against terrorism.

Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani network, has been implicated in organizing deadly attacks on civilians, international coalition forces, and foreign embassies. He is under US sanctions and has been sanctioned by the United Nations since 2007 due to his collaboration with Al-Qaeda.

Terrorist Groups in Afghanistan

SIGAR reported that terrorist activity continues in Afghanistan, raising concerns in the US and UN that Afghanistan may once again become a haven for terrorists due to the Taliban’s failure to adhere to the Doha agreement. While the Taliban have made progress against ISIS-Khorasan, they remain tolerant of other groups like Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

SIGAR also noted that Saif al-Adel, the leader of Al-Qaeda, has called on foreign militants to migrate to Afghanistan for training to attack Western interests and view the Taliban as a model for future Islamic states.

The report stated that under Sirajuddin Haqqani's command, residential and training facilities are provided for Al-Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban members in Ghazni, although the Taliban denied this, claiming they are building a settlement for Pakistan-deported migrants.

According to SIGAR, TTP has between 6,000 and 6,500 fighters in Afghanistan, primarily in the eastern regions.

Regarding ISIS-Khorasan, SIGAR, citing the UN sanctions monitoring team, described the group as "the greatest threat to Afghanistan and the region," though not a threat to Taliban control. ISIS-Khorasan has an estimated 2,000 to 3,500 fighters in Afghanistan, potentially reaching 6,000 with affiliated members.

Michael Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), warned that ISIS has the capability and intent to attack Western interests within six months.

Taliban Forces

SIGAR compared the number of Taliban forces with those of the previous Afghan government’s security and defence forces. As of June 24, 2024, the Taliban’s defence forces numbered 177,890, compared to 182,071 in the previous government as of April 29, 2021. However, the Taliban police force totalled 211,024, significantly higher than the 118,628 police officers in the previous government, giving the Taliban approximately 88,000 more personnel overall.

Opposition Forces

Armed opposition forces have increased their attacks against the Taliban. Over the past three months, they claimed responsibility for 68 attacks, up from 43 in the preceding three months. SIGAR identified the National Resistance Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Front as key opposition groups, noting their joint attacks in April. The report also mentioned several other opposition groups focused primarily on political and intelligence activities.