US state department accidentally sends $239 million to Taliban since 2021: Reports
New Delhi: A recent report from the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has unveiled that the U.S. The State Department might have accidentally funneled at least $239 million to the Taliban since the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, reports themainewire.com.
The SIGAR according to Wikipedia is a U.S. government's leading oversight authority on Afghanistan reconstruction. Congress created the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction to provide independent and objective oversight of the Afghanistan Reconstruction funds.
Meanwhile, the SIGAR report highlights significant lapses in compliance with partner vetting requirements by the State Department. "State officials acknowledged that not all bureaus complied with document retention requirements," wrote the Maine Wire quoting the report, identifying at least $293 million in Afghanistan-related disbursements that lacked proper vetting documentation.
This $239 million figure is separate from the approximately $7 billion worth of military equipment, including Humvees and Black Hawk helicopters, left behind by U.S. forces, now presumably in the hands of Taliban.
The chaotic withdrawal of the Military by the Biden administration resulted in the loss of 13 U.S. soldiers and 170 Afghan civilians in a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Additionally, the decision to evacuate through Kabul’s central airport instead of the more secure Bagram Airfield has faced extensive criticism.
Following which, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan following the U.S. exit. They reportedly established over 1,000 non-profit organizations, calling it for humanitarian efforts, which SIGAR suggests may have served as fronts to secure U.S. taxpayer dollars.
SIGAR identified significant vetting failures in two State Department bureaus—the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). The report underscores the increased risk that these funds may have been embezzled or redirected to Taliban-associated organisations.
In the meantime, the report primarily recommends these bureaus to comply with existing vetting processes. However, it does not call for disciplinary actions against those responsible for the vetting failures nor suggest halting funding to Afghanistan, raising concerns about accountability and the continuation of potentially embezzeled funds.
The Afghanistan War, America’s longest foreign conflict, incurred an estimated $2.261 trillion cost to U.S. taxpayers and claimed the lives of 2,448 U.S. military personnel and 3,846 military contractors. The war also resulted in over 45,000 Afghan civilian deaths.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Swamiji fires gun into the air in Kalaburagi village, video goes viral
Kalaburagi: An incident involving a swamiji firing a gun into the air has been reported from Udachan village in Afzalpur taluk of Kalaburagi district. The act, captured on video, has since gone viral on social media.
The swamiji has been identified as Sri Shantalinga Shivacharya, pontiff of the Hiremath of Sri Shankaralingeshwara Samsthana. According to reports, the incident took place on Sunday evening within the premises of the math, where the swamiji allegedly fired a single-barrel gun into the air.
This is not the first time the swami has courted controversy. Last year, he was reportedly found driving erratically under the influence of alcohol in Salotagi village of neighbouring Indi taluk, following which members of the public confronted him. He later fled from the math, sources said.
ALSO READ: 'Trump travelled on at least eight Epstein flights’: New Epstein files released by US Justice Dept
More recently, during the annual fair of the Sri Shankaralingeshwara Math in Udachan village, the swami had arrived at the village with police protection, claiming to be the rightful pontiff of the math. Despite opposition from villagers, he reportedly went ahead and conducted rituals related to the fair.
The latest incident of firing the gun into the air has triggered criticism, especially after the video surfaced online. Further action, if any, is awaited from the authorities.
