Media Wire

US green-lights certain transactions with Taliban

US Treasury Department on Friday authorized the US government, NGOs and certain international organisations, among them the United Nations, to engage with the Taliban and Haqqani Network in order to conduct transactions that are necessary for humanitarian activities.

Amid concern that sanctions on the Taliban would worsen a continuing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the United States has taken steps to pave the way for aid to flow into the economically paralysed nation.

The US Treasury Department on Friday said it issued two general licences, one allowing the US government, NGOs and certain international organisations, including the United Nations, to engage in transactions with the Taliban or Haqqani Network – both under sanctions – that are necessary to provide humanitarian assistance.

The second licence authorises certain transactions related to the export and re-export of food, medicine and other items.

“Treasury is committed to facilitating the flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and other activities that support their basic human needs,” Andrea Gacki, director of the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, stated in the statement.

She added that Washington will continue to work with financial institutions, NGOs and international organisations to ease the flow of agricultural goods, medicine and other resources while upholding sanctions on the Taliban, Haqqani Network and others.

The Taliban seized control of the country last month as foreign forces allied with the US withdrew from Afghanistan after a 20-year war. The events culminated in the capture of the capital, Kabul, on August 15, two decades after the Taliban was driven from power by a US-led campaign following the September 11 attacks on the United States.

The United Nations warned that at the start of the year more than 18 million people – about half of Afghanistan’s population – require aid amid the country’s second drought in four years.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last week that Afghanistan is on “the verge of a dramatic humanitarian disaster” and has decided to engage with the Taliban in order to help the country’s people.

US President Joe Biden’s administration has noted it is committed to allowing humanitarian work in Afghanistan to continue, despite Washington listing the Taliban as a specially designated global “terrorist” group.

The sanctions freeze any assets the Taliban has in the US and bar Americans from dealing with the group, including the contribution of funds, goods or services.
Friday’s move expands on that specific licence, allowing international organisations and NGOs to pay taxes, fees, import duties or permits, licences or other necessary transactions for assistance to reach the people of Afghanistan.

The licences allow NGOs and foreign financial institutions to continue humanitarian assistance such as the delivery of food, shelter, medicine and medical services, including COVID-19 assistance, a Treasury spokesperson said.

“We have not reduced sanctions pressure on Taliban leaders or the significant restrictions on their access to the international financial system,” the spokesperson added.

On Friday, Afghans held a protest in Kabul, calling for the release of central bank assets held in the US.

The US froze $9bn US in Afghan foreign reserves held in New York and the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund and European Union have suspended financing for projects in Afghanistan.

Source: Al-Jazeera

IFP Media Wire

Reports and views published in the Media Wire section have been retrieved from other news agencies and websites, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Iran Front Page (IFP) news website. The IFP may change the headlines of the reports in a bid to make them compatible with its own style of covering Iran News, and does not make any changes to the content. The source and URL of all reports and news stories are mentioned at the bottom of each article.

Recent Posts

Iran Judiciary chief orders review of pardon request for 2 detained journalists

The spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary announced that two detained Iranian journalists, convicted of collaborating with…

5 hours ago

Iran hands death sentences to 3 Israel spies over their role in nuclear scientist assassination

An Iranian court has sentenced three individuals affiliated with Israel to death after they were…

8 hours ago

Iran says to respond to Israel’s assault at appropriate time

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has warned that Tehran will give a proper response…

9 hours ago

Judiciary: Jamshid Sharmahd dies before execution of death sentence

A spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary announced that Jamshid Sharmahd, leader of the “Tondar” terrorist group…

9 hours ago

Israeli PM considers offering millions to Hamas for release of hostages

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed offering Hamas “several million dollars” for each Israeli…

9 hours ago

Israel’s army struggling with shortage of soldiers: Report

Israel’s military is facing a critical manpower problem as it runs short of thousands of…

9 hours ago