Review found Afghan central bank lacks independence from Taliban - US watchdog

FILE PHOTO: A man rides a bike in front of the Bank of Afghanistan in Kabul, Afghanistan October 8, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S.-funded assessment of Afghanistan's central bank found that it lacks independence from the Taliban administration and adequate safeguards against money laundering and terrorism financing, a U.S. watchdog told Congress on Tuesday.

Reuters last month reported that the assessment, whose conclusions had not been made public at the time, failed to win Washington's backing for a return of central bank assets held in a $3.5 billion Swiss-based trust fund.