Nearly 80 per cent of Afghanistan’s previous government’s budget came from the international community. 

The Taliban has called on the international community to release funds to help stave off a humanitarian disaster.

On Friday, announcing that $3.5 billion will also be sent to help the relief effort, the Biden administration said: “While this Executive Order will help preserve a substantial portion of Afghanistan’s reserves to benefit the Afghan people, we understand there are no easy solutions for Afghanistan’s economic challenges, which have been exacerbated by the Taliban’s forced takeover of the country.

“The Executive Order is designed to provide a path for the funds to reach the people of Afghanistan, while keeping them out of the hands of the Taliban and malicious actors.”

The US does not recognise the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, and there had been doubt as to whether funds belonging to the Afghan central bank can be viewed as the Taliban’s and used to compensate families of 9/11 victims. 

The Biden administration position appeared to be that because the Taliban is in de-facto control of the country’s institutions, the funds should be seizable.

Afghanistan has more than $9 billion in reserves, including the $7 billion in reserves held in the United States. The rest is largely in Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland.

The US launched the war in Afghanistan more than 20 years ago after then-Taliban leader Mullah Omar refused to hand over Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks on the United States. 

Bin Laden, who was born in Saudi Arabia but had his citizenship revoked, relocated to Afghanistan after being expelled from Sudan in 1996.