Jonathan Landay

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United Nations proposes to provide protection for Afghan Taliban-run Interior Ministry personnel. According to a U.N. report and a source who is familiar with the matter, the chief of the ministry is subject to U.N. and U.S. sanction and is wanted by FBI agents.

The funds will be paid to the Taliban fighters next year to subsidize their monthly wages and provide them a monthly food allowance, according to Reuters.

The plan underscores the persisting insecurity in Afghanistan following the Islamist Taliban’s takeover in August as the last U.S. troops left, as well as a dire shortage of funds hampering the new government because of a cutoff of international financial aid.

“The United Nations has a duty as an employer to reinforce and, where necessary, supplement the capacity of host states in circumstances where U.N. personnel work in areas of insecurity,” deputy U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq wrote in an email in response to Reuters’ questions about the proposed payments. He didn’t dispute its contents.

Experts said that the payments proposed raise concerns about whether they will violate U.S.- and U.N. Sanctions on Taliban leaders and top officials, as well as whether or not the United Nations can detect funds being diverted for purposes other than those listed.

“What it comes down to is there is no proper oversight,” said the source, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter.

Sirajuddin Haiqani Haqqani (deputy Taliban leader) is one of those who are under the sanctions. Haqani is the leader of the Haqani network. It has been responsible for the worst attacks during the past 20 years. Haqqani has claimed that the United States considers him to be close to al Qaeda. The United States is offering a $10 Million reward for any information leading to Haqqani’s arrest.

The U.N. Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) budget is “currently under review,” but the mission “maintains full compliance with all U.N. sanctions regimes,” Haq said.

A question asking him whether the payment would be in violation of U.S. Sanctions was unanswered.

According to a U.S. Treasury Department official, the Taliban and Haqqani networks remain under U.S. government counterterrorism sanctions programs and any unauthorized support for them could “risk exposure from U.S. sanctions.” sanctions.”

Under anonymity, the official declined to discuss U.N.’s proposal.

FOOD SHORTAGES and ECONOMIC COLLAPSE

The proposed funds would bolster the cash-strapped Taliban’s ability to protect some 3,500 U.N. personnel in Kabul and 10 field offices. There are many people trying to assist the nation of 39 million with its food crisis. This is due to the collapse of the public service and the acceleration of the loss of foreign financial assistance.

The U.N. document says most of a proposed $4 million security budget for 2022 shared by the 20 U.N. agencies operating in Afghanistan “constitutes payments in respect of supplementing host nation resources for their primary responsibility to protect U.N. personnel (as foreseen in our SOMA).”

SOMA stands to sign a Status of Mission Agreement (with the previous government). According to a source, this agreement provided financial support for the Interior Ministry of Police who protect U.N. facilities.

Most of the $4 million would boost the wages of individual Taliban members by $275-to-$319 per month and provide a monthly food allowance of $90 per person, “which was previously only paid in the regions but now also extended to Kabul,” the document said.

UNAMA would spend an additional nearly $2 million “for similar services” outside the security budget shared with other U.N. agencies, the document added.

“The U.N. system provided allowances to personnel who perform supplementary security services which are critical to the safety of personnel and compounds, as well as operations and movements in the country,” said Haq.

Such funds, he said, are paid directly to recipients “and not through the de facto authorities.”