The Taliban government has warned the United States to reconsider its decision on frozen assets of the Afghan central bank and refrain from further “provocative actions.”

“If the United States does not deviate from its position and continue its provocative actions, the Islamic Emirate will also be forced to reconsider its policy towards the country,” the Afghan rulers said in an official statement.

The rulers also called on the U.S. to release the frozen assets unconditionally.

Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order to pave the way for splitting the frozen $7 billion Afghan funds.

The order is to split the funds between possible compensations for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and humanitarian aid to the country.

Mr Biden’s decision sparked outrage among Afghans, and former president Hamid Karzai has called it an “atrocity” against Afghan citizens.

Local media reported that hundreds of people protested in Kabul on Tuesday to condemn Mr Biden’s decision.

Afghan politicians and academics demanded that the frozen funds should not be used to compensate 9/11 victims since no Afghan was involved in the attacks, nor should the country’s own money be channelled as aid.

They want the funds to be kept untouched to ensure the stability of the Afghan currency and the country’s financial system as a whole.

Afghanistan has approximately $9 billion in frozen assets, including the $7 billion in the U.S. The remaining funds are mostly held in Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland.

(dpa/NAN)