US lawmakers urge Biden to release frozen Afghan funds 'to prevent humanitarian disaster'
Following the Taliban takeover, the US froze nearly $10 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank.
Three US lawmakers have urged US President Joe Biden to release Afghanistan's assets worth billions of dollars to prevent a humanitarian disaster that is unfolding. The South Asian country is on the verge of an economic collapse months after the United States with its NATO allies withdrew forces and the Taliban took over the reins.
The lawmakers from the US House of Representatives made the recommendation in a letter to the US President. In the letter, they suggested a focused release of humanitarian funds to help the Afghan residents. They also underlined that the US has a moral obligation to Afghanistan who partnered with them in their war against terrorism.
"When the last American troops left Afghanistan, the United States promised that we would not abandon Afghanistan," the lawmakers stated in the letter, as cited by news agency ANI. "That is a mistake we made once before with grave consequences for our own security, as well as for the Afghan people. We must uphold our promise and do what is necessary to ensure that the progress made over the last 20 years is not lost," the lawmakers added.
They also stressed that the US cannot allow Afghanistan to "once again become a breeding ground for terrorist organisations intent on killing Americans and attacking our nation."
In December last year as well, 40 lawmakers had written to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen to release humanitarian aid to Afghans as the United Nations warned about a major humanitarian crisis prevailing in the war-torn nation.
In August last year, the Taliban completed the capture of power in Afghanistan by seizing the presidential palace in Kabul in a rapid military offensive as foreign troops were leaving. The chaotic exit caused a major crisis for Afghans, with many security experts claiming it brought the country back to 1991 when the Taliban were ousted by the US troops.
Following the Taliban takeover, the US froze nearly $10 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank.
Last week, Antonio Guterres warned about a "nightmare unfolding in Afghanistan" and said that the world is in a race against time to help the Afghan people. "Babies being sold to feed their siblings. Freezing health facilities overflowing with malnourished children. People burning their possessions to keep warm. Livelihoods across the country have been lost," the UN chief also said, while asking the global community to come together to help Afghanistan.
