World Bank Freezes Aid to Afghanistan

The World Bank suspended funding for dozens of projects in Afghanistan Tuesday, citing questions over the legitimacy of Taliban rule. The suspension follows the Taliban's swift takeover of Afghanistan, as US forces prepared to complete a withdrawal with a deadline of 31 August. “We have paused disbursements in our operations in Afghanistan and we are closely monitoring and assessing the situation in line with our internal policies and procedures,” a World Bank spokeswoman said. The Washington-based institution has committed around $5.3 billion for reconstruction and development projects in Afghanistan since 2002 through its International Development Association that helps the world’s poorest countries.