America paves the way to increase aid to Afghanistan .. a demonstration in Kabul to demand the release of frozen reserves

Hundreds of people protested in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Friday, to demand the release of billions of dollars in central bank reserves withheld outside Afghanistan, while the US Treasury issued two licenses today that facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

And raised in the Kabul demonstration today, expressions written in English demanding Washington to lift the embargo on 8 billion and 300 million dollars of Afghanistan's reserves frozen in US banks, in addition to the 1.7 billion dollars frozen in banks of other countries.

The demonstrators also called on the United Nations to work to release these funds, which were frozen abroad after the Taliban took control of Kabul in the middle of last month.

Protesters' slogans

The participants in the demonstration poured out their anger on American officials, and raised slogans, including "Ordinary Afghans should not pay the price for America's defeat." The people."

After the Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan in the middle of last month, many foreign governments froze the Afghan cash reserves, as well as the aid allocated to it, pending the study of the issue of recognizing the Taliban movement and the government that formed it.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen wrote - on his Twitter account - expressing the new government's support for the demonstrators and their demands, and Sohail said that the demonstrators in Kabul were chanting, "Our people are facing a difficult economic situation. There is an urgent need to unfreeze our assets to overcome the extreme poverty in the country."

The former head of the Central Bank of Afghanistan, Ajmal Ahmadi, mentioned in tweets he posted on his Twitter account on August 18;

Until early last month, the country had about $9 billion in cash reserves, of which at least $7 billion was held by the US Central Bank.

American decision

Today, the United States paved the way for the flow of aid to Afghanistan, despite its adherence to maintaining sanctions against the Taliban. The US Treasury Department (Ministry of Finance) said that it had issued two general licenses, one of which allows the US government, non-governmental organizations and some international organizations - including the United Nations - to conduct Transactions with the US sanctioned Taliban or the Haqqani network, if such transactions are necessary to efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance.

The second license allows some transactions related to the export and re-export of foodstuffs, medicines, etc. to Afghanistan.

The US Treasury has issued two general licenses, one of which allows the US government, NGOs, and some international organizations to conduct transactions with the US sanctioned Taliban or the Haqqani network, if such transactions are necessary for aid delivery efforts.

The Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the US Treasury said - in a statement - that her country will continue to work with financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and international organizations to facilitate the flow of agricultural commodities, medicines and others, while maintaining the sanctions imposed on the Taliban, the Haqqani network and others.

Talks in New York

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that "the world is united in putting pressure on the Taliban," after the minister held talks with officials from Pakistan, China and Russia on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, which ends next Monday.

"The Taliban say they are seeking legitimacy, and they are seeking support from the international community," Blinken added. "The relationship they have with the international community will be determined by the actions they take."

Minister Blinken stressed that his country's priorities are that the Taliban allow Afghans and foreigners to leave Afghanistan, respect the rights of women, girls and minorities, and not allow Afghanistan to once again be a springboard for terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda to strike America and its allies.

Pakistan had called for the international community to deal with the Taliban and unfreeze Afghan assets, but Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said a few days ago that there is no need to rush to recognize the new Taliban government.