U.S. Freezes Billions in Afghan Reserves, Halting Aid 5 Years After Kabul Fell
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 14
U.S. Freezes Billions in Afghan Reserves, Halting Aid 5 Years After Kabul Fell
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 14
Summary
Five years after Kabul fell on Aug. 15, 2021, the United States still blocks billions of dollars in Afghan reserves, keeps sanctions in place and ended assistance inside Afghanistan in 2025.
Those measures have largely cut Afghanistan off from the international banking system, making it harder for families abroad to send money home and deepening pressure on ordinary Afghans.
The report argues conditions on the ground have shifted since the war ended, with former enemies now coexisting as Afghans focus on daily life and rebuilding.
That contrast underscores the broader claim that Western policy has not caught up with postwar Afghanistan and is now hurting the population more than shaping the country’s politics.