The funds, held in the US, were frozen following the collapse of the central government in Kabul in August. Half the remaining assets — $3.5 billion — could go toward providing relief inside the country, where fears of mass starvation have taken hold in the months since the Taliban took over.
The remaining $3.5 billion will be made available for terror victims, who have been fighting in court for compensation using the frozen funds. Their claims will still be litigated by a judge, and senior White House officials said unfreezing the money was a necessary legal step in order for claimants to have their day in court.
In a call with reporters Friday, senior administration officials called the move just “one step in a process that might lead” to the unlocking of these funds for the benefit of the Afghan people, noting that the US is moving to put the reserves in a trust that will be…
