US watchdog: Taliban seize aid, marginalise minorities, and work with UN officials

WASHINGTON, Aug 14 — Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities are forcibly diverting international aid, excluding minority communities from assistance, and may be working with UN officials to solicit kickbacks, a US watchdog reported Tuesday.

The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said the findings were based on input from nearly 90 current and former US and UN officials, as well as other sources, including Afghans still in the country.

“SIGAR found that the Taliban use every means available, including force, to direct aid to areas of their choosing, rather than where donors intend it to go,” the report stated.

Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat rejected the claims, insisting that aid distribution is handled independently and that government agencies cooperate to “ensure transparency” and prevent misuse.

The report cited the killing of an Afghan aid worker who had revealed that food aid was diverted to a Taliban military training camp, though SIGAR could not confirm who was responsible. The UN has yet to respond to the allegations, and Reuters was unable to independently verify them.

Between August 2021, when the Taliban took power, and April 2025, when the Trump administration halted most US assistance, international donors provided US$10.72 billion (RM45 billion) in aid, including US$3.83 billion from the United States.

According to SIGAR, the Taliban exert control over aid through force, regulations, and selective approvals for humanitarian organisations. US-funded aid has allegedly been channelled to majority Pashtun communities at the expense of minorities, while humanitarian workers face extortion.

Interviewees also accused some UN officials of demanding bribes from companies and aid agencies for contracts, with claims that Taliban officials “collude with UN officials to extort bribes from UN contractors and share the proceeds,” the report said. — Reuters