This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
Published on July 2, 2020, officials in Afghanistan have revealed a shocking bounty scheme, where an Afghan contractor allegedly distributed Russian cash to militants who targeted Americans.
The operation, which took place about six months ago, involved the National Directorate of Security raiding the offices of several Hawala businessmen in Kabul and Kunduz, resulting in over a dozen arrests.
According to Safiullah Amiry, the deputy head of Kunduz provincial council, the target of the operation was Rahmat Azizi, who was believed to be in communication with senior Taliban military ranks to discuss potential targets.
“The target of the operation was Rahmat, who was going back and forth to Russia for a long time and said he worked there but no one knew what he did,” Amiry said, adding that by the time the raid took place, “Rahmat had fled.”
Security officials claimed that the money had come from Russia through Rahmat, sparking concerns about foreign interference in Afghanistan's conflict.
Russia's involvement in the conflict has been a subject of interest, particularly after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. While initially seen as cooperating with American efforts, the Kremlin grew wary of the prolonged U.S. presence and moved closer to the Taliban in recent years.
