RASC News Agency: Habiburrahman Hekmatyar, son of the leader of the Islamic Party, has criticized the U.S. for financially supporting the Taliban, alleging that the group’s monthly salaries are funded by American cash aid. Hekmatyar made these remarks on Wednesday, May 22, in response to comments by the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who condemned the Taliban’s misuse of U.S. financial aid as unacceptable.
In a statement on the social media platform X, Hekmatyar expressed astonishment at the ignorance of American officials regarding these abuses and questioned how the U.S. government could overlook such exploitation. He emphasized that the U.S. provides financial support to the Taliban even in intelligence and military sectors, adding, “The Taliban even pay their monthly salaries from U.S. cash aid.”
Previously, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) reported that the U.S. has provided $2.8 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan under Taliban rule, with American agencies paying millions in taxes and fees to the group. Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that the Taliban’s misuse of U.S. cash aid is unacceptable and urged the Biden administration to take immediate steps to prevent American taxpayer money from reaching the Taliban.
