Afghanistan’s Karzai calls on Biden to reverse decision to unfreeze $3.5B for 9/11 victims

Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, urged President Biden on Sunday to reverse his decision to unfreeze $3.5 billion in Aghan assets held in the U.S. for families of 9/11 victims.

Biden’s order targets a total of $7 billion in Afghan assets and calls for banks to provide $3.5 billion of the frozen amount to a trust fund for distribution through humanitarian groups for Afghan relief and basic needs. The other $3.5 billion would stay in the U.S. to finance payments from lawsuits by U.S. victims of terrorism that are still working their way through the courts.

"No one punishes the victim," Karzai said, according to Afghanistan’s Tolo News. Karzai said the funds should not be given to the Taliban's Islamic Emirate, but preserved for future generations of Afghans.