The Treasury Department has imposed sanctions against three key leaders and financiers of the Taliban and its affiliated group, the Pakistan-based Haqqani network.
The order freezes the U.S.-held assets of Gul Agha Ishakzai, head of the Taliban’s financial commission; Amir Abdullah, former treasurer to Taliban leader Mullah Baradar; and Nasiruddin Haqqani, an emissary for the Haqqani Network.
The order also prohibits U.S. residents from engaging in any transactions with them.
“Today’s designation of three senior leaders and financiers for the Taliban and its affiliated Haqqani network builds upon Treasury’s longstanding efforts to deprive these extremists of the resources they need to execute their violent activities,” said Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
A Treasury statement said the designation of the three men was designed to “deprive these extremists of the resources they need to execute their violent activities.”
All three were added to a United Nations sanctions list this week.
In a televised round table with journalists in Pakistan this week, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the Haqqani network is behind many of the deadly attacks on U.S. troops and Afghans in Afghanistan.
“This is not one of the groups that is sitting on the sidelines,” Mrs. Clinton said. “They’re deeply involved in what’s going on in Afghanistan, and they take credit for some devastating attacks within Afghanistan. So clearly, they’re a terrorist organization, and they are killing Afghans, Americans and others who are part of the international coalition.”
• Ashish Kumar Sen can be reached at asen@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.