Washington, July 26: US taxpayer money has been indirectly funneled to the Taliban under a 2.16 billion dollar transportation contract that helped promote Afghan businesses, a military-led investigation has concluded.

According to the Washington Post, the unreleased investigation provides seemingly definitive evidence that corruption puts US transportation money into enemy hands, a finding consistent with previous inquiries carried out by Congress, other federal agencies and the military.

The summary of the investigation results said that the military found "documented, credible evidence of. involvement in a criminal enterprise or support for the enemy" by four of the eight prime contractors.

Investigators also cited cases of profiteering, money laundering and kickbacks to Afghan power brokers, government officials and police officers, the report said.

Six of the companies were found to have been associated with "fraudulent paperwork and behavior", it added.

The US Agency for International Development and the State Department had together signed nearly 1,000 contracts with non-US vendors in Afghanistan last year.

The employment, under a policy called Afghan First, is an integral part of the Obama administration's counterinsurgency strategy and calls for promoting Afghan capabilities, businesses and infrastructure.

The extensive military use of contractors for tasks such as transport, security and construction is also designed to free US troops for operations and, in most cases, is deemed far less expensive than using American resources. (ANI)