The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has accused the Taliban of exploiting international humanitarian aid, with allegations of forceful seizures and corrupt collaboration with United Nations officials.
In its latest report, SIGAR revealed that the Taliban, working in concert with UN personnel, are reportedly extorting humanitarian projects. The watchdog claims that UN officials are demanding bribes from NGOs and contractors seeking aid distribution contracts. These bribes range from 5 to 50 percent of the contract value, according to SIGAR’s findings.
The report highlights the Taliban’s interference in the distribution of aid, asserting that the group prioritises Pashtun-majority regions at the expense of Tajik and Hazara communities. SIGAR estimates that only 30 to 40 percent of the aid intended for the Afghan population actually reaches those in critical need. Over the past four years, the U.S. has allocated nearly $4 billion in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
“Taliban forces use every available method, including coercion, to redirect aid according to their ethnic agenda, bypassing donor intentions,” the report states. It further claims that the Taliban’s interference is not just political but ethnically biased, favouring Pashtun areas over others.
In a disturbing revelation, SIGAR reports that an Afghan aid worker was killed for exposing the Taliban’s theft of food aid meant for the public.
The Taliban have denied the allegations, asserting that international aid is distributed independently, and the group collaborates with humanitarian organisations to ensure transparency and avoid misuse.
The report is based on insights from nearly 90 current and former U.S. and UN officials, as well as other local sources in Afghanistan. SIGAR, which has monitored U.S. assistance to Afghanistan since 2008, presented its final report to Congress this week.
A senior U.S. State Department official commented, “We were aware that U.S. funding was benefiting the Taliban in certain ways, but the extent of NGO and UN involvement in this diversion and corruption was shocking.”
SIGAR also claims that the Taliban have actively interfered with NGO operations, even influencing hiring practices to place their own affiliates in key roles. One NGO worker revealed that “at least 20 percent of the employees in international NGOs were linked to the Taliban.” In some cases, the group is said to have demanded that NGOs include specific individuals on payrolls, paying them salaries without requiring them to work.
While past SIGAR reports have highlighted indirect benefits to the Taliban from U.S. aid, this latest report focuses specifically on the exploitation of aid funds. The U.S. State Department noted that a turning point in the decision to cut aid came when it became clear that the Taliban were openly accepting and diverting U.S. assistance, whether in cash or goods, for their own use.
The situation remains dire, with more than 23 million Afghans still in need of international humanitarian aid.
