The Islamic Emirate issued a statement on Monday in reaction to US President Joe Biden’s Executive Order regarding the frozen funds of Afghanistan’s central bank, and they called on him to abandon this course of action.
The Islamic Emirate said the funds were frozen against all international norms by the US, which now wants to “seize” them.
The statement reads that the 9/11 attacks have nothing to do with Afghans, and that seizing this money in relation to 9/11 is “blatant oppression” and against the Doha Agreement.
“In order for the US to save itself from the blame of the world and not to ruin its relations with Afghans, it must abandon its decision and release the assets of Afghans without any conditions. It also should refrain from such provocative acts which cause more mistrust between the two sides,” the statement reads.
The Islamic Emirate said that if the US does not abandon its current stance on the Afghan assets, the Islamic Emirate will inevitably reconsider its policy towards the US.
On Friday, Joe Biden signed an order based on which the US will use $3.5 billion of the frozen assets to address the dire economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, but the other $3.5 billion will remain in the US and be subject to the ongoing litigation by the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
“Even if funds are transferred for the benefit of the Afghan people, more than $3.5 billion in DAB assets would remain in the United States and are subject to ongoing litigation by US victims of terrorism. Plaintiffs will have a full opportunity to have their claims heard in court,” the White House said in a statement on Friday.
Biden’s decision met sharp reactions inside and outside the country. Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai in a press conference on Sunday called on Biden to reverse his decision and to not compensate victims of 9/11 attacks from this money. Karzai said the people of Afghanistan are victims of terrorism as are the people of the United States. “No one punishes the victim,” he said.
Afghan politicians, international organizations and regional countries have also criticized the decision.
A number of Afghan women including civil society activists, parliament members and politician in an open letter to Biden on Sunday called for the reconsideration of the decision. “We ask you to reconsider this decision as we are still trying to heal what is left of us as a nation,” the letter reads.
On Tuesday, hundreds of people also protested in Kabul, calling on the US to release all the frozen funds of the Afghan people.
