KABUL, Afghanistan, May 15 (UPI) -- The Afghan government has collected at least $921 million in taxes from contractors on U.S.-funded reconstruction projects since 2008, a U.S. report says.
The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction report looked at the books of 43 contractors, a small part of the total group, Khaama Press reported. That means the total in what the report called "illegitimate" taxes and penalties is likely to be far greater than the amount inspectors uncovered.
"That is just a small sample. So the fact that we are nearing almost a billion dollars on just 43 contractors is troubling in and of itself," Elizabeth Field, an assistant inspector general, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The Afghan and U.S. governments had agreed that reconstruction projects would be exempt from Afghan taxes.
