U.S. Watchdog Highlights Compliance Issues in Afghan Aid Distribution

A U.S. watchdog revealed that two State Department bureaus failed to prove compliance with internal policies for vetting aid groups in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, risking extremist profiteering from $293 million in funds.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) emphasized the importance of tracking assistance beneficiaries to prevent aid diversion to sanctioned parties.

The State Department acknowledged the report and committed to improving compliance with vetting requirements, as the U.S. remains Afghanistan's largest aid donor post-Taliban takeover.

(With inputs from agencies.)