£70m of British aid 'paid to the Taliban': Cash wasted on bribes and protection money, say campaigners

By KIRSTY WALKER

Last updated at 2:28 AM on 13th August 2011

Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money could be ending up in the pockets of Taliban insurgents and corrupt Afghan officials, a damning report has revealed.

The International Crisis Group warned that up to 10 per cent of overseas aid was being paid in bribes and protection money to the Taliban and officials in Kabul.

Over the next four years, the Prime Minister has pledged to give £710million to Afghanistan alone. That could mean up to £70million of British money going to the very people we are fighting.

Taliban fighters: Contractors say their projects and staff may be attacked if they do not pay up

The Department for International Development spent £102million on aid  to Afghanistan in the last financial year, but this will rise to £178million this year. Of these totals, 16 per cent goes to Helmand province, where British troops operate.

The hard-hitting report found that despite billions being poured into  Afghanistan in aid, the country shows no signs of becoming ‘politically stable or economically viable’.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2025437/70m-British-aid-paid-Taliban-Cash-wasted-bribes-protection-money.html#ixzz1UyoWNQ8q