President Joe Biden signed an executive order splitting billions of Afghanistan funds between victims of the 9/11 terror attacks and humanitarian relief.
“As part of our ongoing work to address the humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan, President Biden signed an Executive Order (E.O.) to help enable certain U.S.-based assets belonging to Afghanistan’s central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank (‘DAB’), to be used to benefit the Afghan people,” the White House said in a statement.
The administration will release $3.5 billion for aid to Afghanistan while the same amount will be released for families of 9/11 victims.
The White House said the United States will “continue to work tirelessly with the international community to ensure that humanitarian assistance and other support flows to the people of Afghanistan.”
The statement continues, “The United States is committed to supporting the Afghan people and we continue to consider all options available to us to achieve that goal.”
The Associated Press noted funding to Afghanistan was suspended and billions of dollars of the country’s assets were frozen following the Taliban takeover.
Taliban political spokesman Mohammad Naeem took issue with Biden for not releasing all funds to Afghanistan, as the outlet reported.
“Stealing the blocked funds of Afghan nation by the United States of America and its seizure (of those funds) shows the lowest level of humanity . . . of a country and a nation,” Naeem tweeted.
Last month, The Washington Post reported the country is in the “midst of a worsening humanitarian crisis” with widespread hunger, a failed economy, and the desperate need for assistance.
Vicki Aken, Afghanistan director of the International Rescue Committee, told the Post, “It’s the sheer levels of desperation that we’re seeing in people.”
She continued, “The humanitarian situation seems to be going from bad to worse.”