Russian President Vladimir Putin said that it was necessary to free up the Afghanistan Central Bank assets of over $9 billion to overcome the current humanitarian crisis in the country.  

Putin made the remarks at the Investment Forum.  

"It is necessary to help the Afghan people, at least the money must be unblocked, the Afghan money, which is in accounts with Western banks, primarily in the United States, must be unblocked and people must be allowed to solve at least elementary things," Putin said.  

The Islamic Emirate suggested that the frozen assets belonged to the people and that there should be no conditions imposed on their release.  

“All world countries must understand it is the right of Afghans, and the assets belong to the Afghans, and they should be returned to the Afghans and there should be no conditions or restrictions,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate.  

A senior delegation of the Islamic Emirate led by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi recently met with the representatives from the US and European Union in Doha, capital of Qatar.  

The ministry’s spokesman, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said both sides discussed the political, economic, health, education, security, and humanitarian issues affecting Afghanistan. The Kabul delegation urged the US to free the Afghan assets.  

“If the Afghan assets are freed, there will be a change in the economic conditions of the Afghans,” said Zahir Mutahari, a university instructor.  

When the Islamic Emirate came to power in mid-August, the US Treasury froze over $9 billion dollars of Afghanistan’s central bank assets.