Afghan Jihadi Leader Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf Visits Iran For High-Level Talks

On Tuesday, UNICEF stated on the social media platform X that malnutrition is both preventable and treatable, yet a significant number of Afghan children remain deprived of essential treatment.

The agency also highlighted its collaboration with the European Union last year, which enabled the provision of nutritional services to hundreds of thousands of Afghan children.

Malnutrition remains a severe crisis in Afghanistan, particularly among children. Widespread poverty, coupled with limited access to healthcare and adequate nutrition, continues to hinder both treatment and prevention efforts.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has predicted that the number of malnourished children in Afghanistan will rise to 3.5 million by 2025. UN reports indicate that over the past five years, approximately three million children under the age of five have suffered from malnutrition in the country.

Despite the suspension of U.S. foreign aid, Sopko revealed that the U.S. continues to send money to Afghanistan on a weekly basis. According to a SIGAR report from August 2024, Washington has provided approximately $21 billion in aid to Afghanistan since 2021, primarily for humanitarian assistance, refugee relocation and resettlement, and the repayment of Afghanistan’s foreign assets.

Speaking at the Herat Security Dialogue conference, Sopko noted that around $3.7 billion has been allocated to humanitarian matters in Afghanistan. He warned that if the Taliban does not alter its stance on women’s rights, education, and human rights, the U.S. may halt these funds entirely and divert $4 billion from Afghanistan’s trust fund in Switzerland to compensate victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

In 2024, SIGAR reported that out of the $20.71 billion disbursed since August 2021, $2.97 billion was allocated for humanitarian and development assistance. This included humanitarian aid ($2.029 billion), development projects ($458 million), agency operations ($316 million), and security funding ($100 million). However, SIGAR did not clarify the specifics of the “agency operations” and “security” expenditures in Afghanistan.

According to SIGAR’s findings, these funds have been channelled through U.S. international cooperation initiatives and United Nations agencies from October 2021 to June 2024.

Sopko has previously stated that a significant portion of U.S. financial aid has ended up in Taliban hands. In an interview with Fox Business on 6 February, he expressed concerns over the lack of oversight regarding U.S. financial assistance transferred through organisations such as the United Nations and the World Food Programme.

Additionally, Sopko has recommended that Congress terminate SIGAR operations after 30 September 2025 due to the reduction of U.S. aid to Afghanistan.

At the Herat Security Dialogue Conference, Sopko criticised the misrepresentation of Afghanistan’s situation by U.S. military and diplomatic officials, claiming that many had deliberately misled the public to secure promotions and increased funding.

He asserted that corruption within the former Afghan government, coupled with a lack of motivation in the fight against the Taliban, contributed to the collapse of the republic order in Afghanistan. However, he also highlighted that U.S. policies and decisions played a crucial role in Afghanistan’s downfall.

According to Sopko, American generals, diplomats, and contractors had been distorting the truth about their performance and the actual conditions in Afghanistan, prioritising their own career advancement over transparency.

Sopko warned that Afghanistan must prepare for a future with significantly reduced international aid. He emphasised that the new U.S. administration does not consider Afghanistan a strategic priority, leading to a decline in financial assistance—a trend he expects to continue.

Sources at Torkham confirmed to Afghanistan International on Monday that discussions between senior officials from both sides regarding the reopening of the vital crossing ended without resolution.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a statement on Monday, warning that the prolonged closure has left thousands of passengers and approximately 5,000 cargo trucks stranded on both sides of the border.

Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, deputy of the chamber, stated that many of the stranded trucks are carrying perishable goods such as meat, poultry, vegetables, and fresh fruits, which risk spoilage if the border is not reopened immediately. Officials from the chamber have urged both Pakistan and the Taliban to resolve the issue swiftly.

Pakistan closed the Torkham border crossing late on Friday night. Pakistani media, citing a government official at Torkham, reported that tensions escalated after Pakistan’s border forces installed a signboard at the crossing, known as “Pakistan Gate.” In response, Taliban border forces constructed a security post, leading to clashes between the two sides and the subsequent closure of the border.

Torkham is the most critical border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, facilitating the majority of trade between the two nations. Since the Taliban’s return to power, the crossing has been closed multiple times due to border clashes, severely impacting traders—particularly Afghan exporters of fresh produce to Pakistan—who suffer significant financial losses with each closure.

Speaking on Monday at the Herat Security Dialogue in Madrid, Crocker expressed deep concerns over Afghanistan’s security situation, warning that terrorism remains a significant threat in the country.

He further emphasised that the worst course of action for the international community would be to grant recognition to the Taliban government.

Crocker, who served as the U.S. ambassador in Kabul from 2011 to 2012, highlighted the extensive restrictions imposed by the Taliban since their return to power in August 2021. He noted that the group has reinstated oppressive policies, particularly targeting freedom of expression and women’s rights, echoing the repressive measures of their first rule in the 1990s.

The 12th Herat Security Dialogue, an annual conference organised by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, commenced on Monday in Madrid, Spain. The event has brought together experts, former Afghan government officials, human rights activists, and politicians to discuss Afghanistan’s security outlook and future.

Several U.S. diplomats and regional political figures are also participating in the discussions at the Herat Security Dialogue.

Sheehy, a Montana senator and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, is spearheading the effort to ensure that the Taliban does not benefit from U.S. humanitarian assistance. If enacted, the No Taxpayer Funding for Terrorists Act would impose strict oversight measures to prevent American taxpayer funds from reaching terrorist organisations.

In a statement, Sheehy expressed his commitment to stopping U.S. funds from being misused. “After years of fighting terrorists, I am honoured to lead the effort to prevent them from using American taxpayer dollars,” he said. “For those of us who lost friends in these wars, it is infuriating to see our money ending up in the hands of Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and the Taliban.”

Sheehy, alongside Senators Tommy Tuberville and Bill Hagerty, formally introduced the bill in the Senate, stressing the urgency of ensuring that taxpayer funds do not support terrorist groups. He further highlighted the importance of fiscal responsibility, stating that the U.S. national debt had reached $36 trillion and was continuing to rise, making it even more critical to eliminate unnecessary expenditures.

The Senate bill mirrors legislation introduced in the House of Representatives in January by Congressman Tim Burchett. That legislation mandates the U.S. government to report on the management of cash assistance programmes in Afghanistan and outline the safeguards in place to prevent funds from reaching the Taliban.

If passed, the bill will require the U.S. Department of State to establish a formal policy opposing any form of aid to the Taliban. Additionally, it mandates the compilation of a report identifying countries that have provided financial assistance to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan since 2021. The legislation also calls on the U.S. government to collaborate with international partners to prevent financial support from reaching terrorist organisations.

Members of Congress are working to advance the bill and send it to President Donald Trump for final approval. Trump has previously cut multiple U.S. foreign aid programmes, particularly those related to Afghanistan.