The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The Taliban's chief spokesman denied Saturday that the Taliban administration has received or directed international humanitarian aid, saying that not “a single penny” of such assistance had reached the authorities.
Zabihullah Mujahid made the comments during the sixth
meeting of “Government in the Mirror of the Press,” as Afghanistan faces a
worsening humanitarian crisis and international aid organizations struggle with
funding cuts.
“Not a single penny of this aid has reached the
administration,” Mujahid said, adding that international humanitarian
organizations manage and distribute the assistance themselves and that Taliban
authorities do not interfere in the process.
His remarks come amid allegations by some humanitarian
organizations and other institutions that Taliban authorities have interfered
with the distribution of aid or attempted to influence how assistance is
allocated.
The United States suspended most of its assistance to
Afghanistan in 2025 amid concerns that financial support could directly or
indirectly benefit the Taliban or other designated terrorist groups. Nearly all
previously pledged U.S. assistance, including a significant portion of
humanitarian aid, was halted following the decision.
The reduction in funding from the United States and other
international donors has compounded Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis, with
millions of people relying on aid. Humanitarian organizations have warned that
funding shortages are limiting their ability to provide food, health care and
other essential services.
Mujahid said international humanitarian organizations
operating in Afghanistan have faced declining financial support and called on
the international community to increase its assistance.
He also described the aid available to internally displaced
people and migrants as insufficient and called for greater support.
Mujahid said the Taliban had not obstructed the activities
of international organizations, but he emphasized that aid must reach those in
need and be spent transparently.
He warned that organizations that failed to follow those
principles could face what he described as “punishment” and said Taliban
authorities would prevent spending they considered unnecessary or
inappropriate.
Mujahid said such actions should not be viewed as interference
in the work of humanitarian organizations.
His comments come as funding shortfalls for humanitarian
operations in Afghanistan continue to deepen. The United Nations has reported a
severe shortage of resources to address the country's humanitarian needs in
2026.
