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US slashes aid to Afghanistan by $1bn 'IMMEDIATELY', touts more cuts as Taliban 'peace deal' on brink of collapse
Washington will cut aid to Afghanistan by $1 billion starting immediately, after failing to resolve a fierce dispute between rival Afghan leaders, the State Department said, noting the US military withdrawal would continue.
Lamenting the failure of Afghan leaders to agree on an “inclusive government,” Pompeo said the feud between President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah had “harmed US-Afghan relations,” adding that Washington would review cooperation with the country and make significant cuts to US aid.
“Because this leadership failure poses a direct threat to US national interests, effective immediately, the US government will initiate a review of the scope of our cooperation with Afghanistan,” he said in a statement on Monday after an unannounced trip to Kabul.
“Among other steps, we are today announcing a responsible adjustment to our spending in Afghanistan and immediately reducing assistance by $1 billion this year.”
After an unannounced trip to Kabul & Doha, Pompeo announces that US decides to cut aid to #Afghanistan by $1B & ready to reduce another $1B in 2021, expressing disappointment with Afghan leaders after a failed attempt to form a gov’t—described as a direct threat to US interests pic.twitter.com/OBBSCDKyp9
— Elif Erşen (@elifbiniciersen) March 23, 2020
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