The Taliban’s annual revenue surged to $3.4 billion, a 14% increase, as Afghanistan reemerges as a sanctuary for terrorist groups. A U.S. government watchdog attributes this growth to the former Biden administration’s 2021 military withdrawal and subsequent aid mismanagement.
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) reported that the Taliban now controls $7.12 billion worth of U.S. military equipment left behind after the withdrawal. This arsenal includes 78 aircraft, 40,000 vehicles, and over 300,000 weapons, some of which have surfaced in Pakistan’s arms markets, empowering insurgent groups like the Pakistani Taliban (TTP).
SIGAR’s April 30 report to Congress highlights that the Taliban has transferred many of these arms to terrorist affiliates, while others have entered the black market. The report states, “terrorist groups continued to operate in and from Afghanistan amid ongoing U.S., UN, and regional concerns that the country remains a terrorist haven.”
More than two dozen terrorist organizations, including ISIS-K and at least four al Qaeda offshoots, are active in Afghanistan. These groups utilize the country to train and plan attacks, with a “small but steady” influx of foreign terrorists joining their ranks.
Despite the Taliban’s oppressive policies, including bans on girls’ education and women’s employment, the Biden administration funneled nearly $4 billion into Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover. Much of this aid, intended for humanitarian purposes, lacked proper oversight, leading to concerns about misuse and diversion to the Taliban.
In response, President Donald Trump’s administration terminated most U.S.-funded assistance programs in Afghanistan, citing the Taliban’s ability to siphon millions annually from American taxpayer funds. The State Department froze several “cash-based assistance” programs, with spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stating the decision was due to “Taliban interference” and “a lack of appropriate accountability.”
SIGAR discovered that American aid partners on the ground in Afghanistan paid the Taliban at least $10.9 million in various fees. The State Department has since terminated funding for all but two of the 24 U.S. programs inside Afghanistan, saving American taxpayers more than $1 billion through the end of 2025.
The remaining aid initiatives support Afghan students studying online or at universities outside the country. The billion-dollar list of now-canceled grants included programs aimed at empowering Afghan youth, particularly girls and young women, and fostering civic activism.
SIGAR, the central U.S.-Afghanistan oversight authority since 2008, will cease operations early next year as the Trump administration concludes aid to the country.
