Treasury approves humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan: report

The Treasury Department has given humanitarian groups approval to provide aid to Afghanistan, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Sources close to the matter told the Journal that the department’s decision came in response to pressure from aid groups and banks seeking assurances that they will not risk punishment for providing humanitarian relief to the country or handling related financial transactions.

The Journal reported that Treasury has reassured the aid groups on those concerns, though it is unclear whether the agency is going to issue a formal waiver.

The Taliban is designated as a terrorist organization by the federal government, meaning U.S.-based groups have been prohibited from providing any form of support to the militant group.

When reached for comment by The Hill, a Treasury official said the department was taking steps to allow humanitarian groups to continue their work in a way that benefits the Afghan people. However, the official stressed that Treasury has not taken steps to reduce sanctions against Taliban leaders or lifted restrictions on their access to international financial systems.

With the militant group’s takeover of the country, many humanitarian groups have suspended aid to Afghanistan because the international community’s recognition of the Taliban is still unclear.

Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have cut off Afghanistan’s access to resources and aid.

“We have paused disbursements in our operations in Afghanistan and we are closely monitoring and assessing the situation in line with our internal policies and procedures. As we do so, we will continue to consult closely with the international community and development partners,” a World Bank spokesperson said on Wednesday.

However, they added that the multilateral institution is “exploring ways we can remain engaged to preserve hard-won development gains and continue to support the people of Afghanistan.”

Other groups have reported being unable to access the country to provide aid, with United Nations-backed organizations like the World Health Organization and UNICEF calling on world powers to facilitate entry to Afghanistan to provide medical supplies and aid.

Shortly after Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul fell to the Taliban, the Treasury Department froze billions of dollars worth of Afghan funds being held in U.S. banks.