RASC News Agency: Informed sources indicate that Ariana Airlines has ceased operations following the suspension of U.S. financial aid, raising concerns over its imminent collapse. On February 3, sources confirmed to the media that no flights had been conducted by the airline the previous day, underscoring the severity of the crisis. According to these sources, Ariana’s grounding stems from an acute fuel shortage, a predicament likely to persist. Meanwhile, Kam Air continues to operate, but Kabul International Airport remains heavily militarized and deeply volatile.
Reports suggest that the airport is under the dual control of the Kandahari faction of the Taliban and the Haqqani Network, both of whom have intensified security restrictions, significantly tightening scrutiny over travelers. Despite growing concerns, the Taliban have yet to issue any official statement regarding the crisis. Simultaneously, the Taliban regime has failed to pay government employees for over three months. However, in stark contrast to this financial paralysis, Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada recently gifted a fleet of brand-new luxury vehicles to approximately 50 of his commanders. Over the past three years, sustained financial backing from the United States enabled the Taliban to impose a reign of oppression, plunging Afghanistan into economic despair and political turmoil. Yet, following Donald Trump’s declaration that U.S. financial assistance to the Taliban would be cut off, the group appears to be struggling to maintain control.
This development has reinforced suspicions among analysts who argue that the Taliban is a U.S.-engineered project linked to the Biden administration. The key question now is whether Trump, after 90 days, will resume financial aid to the Taliban or permanently sever U.S. funding for the group. If the Taliban manage to sustain their rule beyond the next three months without external financial assistance, their resilience will be tested. However, should Trump uphold the aid suspension, the Taliban’s downfall appears inevitable.
