Taliban appeal to U.S. to release Afghan assets

‘Financial security is biggest challenge’

The Taliban called on Wednesday on U.S. Congress members to release Afghan assets frozen after their takeover of the country, warning economic turmoil at home could lead to trouble abroad.

In an open letter, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said the biggest challenge facing Afghanistan was financial insecurity, “and the roots of this concern lead back to the freezing of assets by the American government”.

Washington has seized nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank, and the aid-dependent economy has effectively collapsed — with civil servants unpaid for months and the treasury unable to pay for imports.

Muttaqi said Afghanistan was enjoying stable government for the first time in over 40 years. “Practical steps have been taken towards good governance,” Muttaqi wrote.

Muttaqi said Afghans “understand the concerns of the international community”, but that it was necessary for all sides to take positive steps to build trust. He warned, however, that the economic situation could spark a mass exodus.