Biden to Use $3.5Bln in Afghan Funds Held in US for 9/11 Victims' Families, Report Says

13:43 GMT, 11 February 2022

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden is planning to ignore requests from the Taliban (under UN sanctions for terrorism) to return $7 billion in Afghan assets deposited at the Federal Reserve in New York and instead use half of the funds to compensate the families of victims of the 9/11 attacks, The New York Times reported, citing sources.

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The money deposited in New York financial institutions by Afghanistan's Central Bank was frozen by US authorities after the Washington-supported government of President Ashraf Ghani collapsed in August 2021.

Biden will issue an executive order to freeze all $7 billion in Afghan central bank funds held at the Fed and ask a judge for permission to move the other $3.5 billion to a trust fund to facilitate humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, the report said.

The announcement is expected to be made later on Friday.