Afghanistan: Amrullah Saleh accuses Taliban of forcing NGOs to list their fighters for aid

Former Afghan Vice President has launched another verbal attack on the extremist group. Taking to Twitter on February 18, Saleh has accused the Taliban of forcing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to list their fighters for humanitarian aid.

The former leader of Afghanistan tweeted, "To respected UN agencies: Talib juntas at local level coerce the NGOs to enlist their militias as eligible for aid. Also, they very evidently suppress access of specific communities & constituencies to humanitarian aid. Please stop NGOs feeding HQN terror networks & crime cartels."

Earlier on February 10, Amrullah Saleh criticised the Taliban's extreme fundamentalist regime, accusing them of atrocities against journalists in Kabul. Former official from Ashraf Ghani's exiled Afghan administration, as well as the head of the anti-Taliban resistance movement 'National Resistance Front' (NRF), condemned the Taliban for kidnapping former BBC colleagues of British journalist Andrew North, as well as at least two UNHCR journalists.

Saleh further claimed that the Taliban had "kidnapped" eight Westerners since the haphazard withdrawal of US soldiers. He had accused the Taliban of committing war crimes and disregarding international humanitarian law on numerous occasions. According to a member of a Taliban intelligence unit in Kabul, the hardline regime has detained many foreign nationals in Kabul on suspicion of working for Western intelligence agencies. The fundamentalist organisation had previously initiated a manhunt for the journalist of German broadcaster DW, killing one member of his family and critically injuring another.

The Afghan crisis

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the international community to provide financial and humanitarian assistance to the millions of Afghans who are facing famine and other crisis under the Taliban rule. Unlocking Afghan assets overseas and generating funding for humanitarian help are, without a doubt, difficult challenges. Disbursement of financial help to the target population, however, faces similarly complicated challenges.

Once again, the Taliban and the West are at odds. While the Taliban have failed to meet Western standards such as forming an inclusive administration and demonstrating respect for Western concepts of basic human rights, the West has stated unequivocally that humanitarian aid will not be funnelled through an unrecognised Taliban government. All humanitarian help, including this Afghan money, must go through UN agencies and international non-governmental groups, according to Western powers. The West is concerned that aid delivered through the Taliban will be seized by the Taliban's leaders and cadres, with little or no benefit reaching helpless citizens.

Image: AP