No US aid approved yet after deadly earthquake in Afghanistan: sources

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A week after killing more than 2,200 people in Afghanistan and leaving tens of thousands of people homeless, the United States has not taken the first step to grant emergency aid, and it was unclear whether it was planning to help it, two former senior US officials and one of the situation.

Source and former officials said Washington’s lack of reaction to Afghanistan’s deadliest earthquake over the years indicates that President Donald Trump has reduced his deep foreign aid to a deepening foreign aid, and the US -based foreign aid agency has been deployed.

The US Agency for International Development was officially closed on Tuesday.

The State Department on Monday extended its “heartfelt condolences” from Afghanistan in an X post.

However, by Friday, the State Department did not approve the announcement of the need for humanitarian sympathy to allow US emergency assistance, the former officials, both worked in USAID, and the third source, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Such a declaration is usually released within 24 hours of a major catastrophe.

Sources said that State Department officials have considered recommendations for US destruction assistance to Afghanistan. A former senior official said that the White House has also considered the issue, but has decided to change the policy of eliminating aid to Afghanistan.

When asked if the United States would provide any emergency assistance to Afghanistan after 6 earthquakes on Sunday, after which a powerful aftershow was shot on Thursday and Friday, a spokesman for the department said: “We have nothing more to announce at this time.”

Until this year, the United States was the largest aid donor for Afghanistan, where it fought a 20 -year war, ending the US chaos and the Taliban occupied Kabul in 2021.

But in April, the Trump administration eliminated practically all aid to Afghanistan – citing a total of 2 562 million – US Watchdog reports that US -funded humanitarian groups have paid $ 10.9 million in tax, fees and duties.

Asked if the United States would provide emergency assistance to the earthquake survivors, a White House official said, “President Trump consistently intends to ensure that he does not fall into the hands of the Taliban government, which is misrepresented by US citizens.”

‘Stuck in storage’

The Afghan earthquake “is the latest crisis to expose the cost of resources while shrinking on important humanitarian works, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said.

“Massive financiers have already provided essential health and nutrition services for millions of people,” he said in a statement Thursday. Ground aircraft, which is often the only lifeline for remote communities, and forced relief agencies to reduce their image. “

The Trump administration has not yet responded to the International Rescue Committee’s request for a US $ 105,000 request to send US $ 105,000 after the first earthquake.

Kelly Razok, Vice President of Policy and Advocate for the IRC, said the content includes stethoscopes, first aid, stretches, and other essential equipment.

“Have been caught in stock storage,” said Raz Zuk, who served at the National Security Council of former US President Joe Biden. “In recent memories, I don’t remember a time when the United States did not respond to such a crisis.”

The IRC needs permission from Washington to send goods to Afghanistan because it received financial support from the irrelevant US grant, which was canceled by the Trump administration.

“Over the loss of life, we have destroyed basic infrastructure and livelihoods,” Stephen Rodrig, a representative of the UN Development Program, told reporters on Friday.

He said donations for money, goods and services came from the UK, South Korea, Australia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and other countries.

“It needs more than that.”