President Ghani Urges UN to Add Taliban Leader to Sanction List

President Ashraf Ghani has asked the United Nations Security Council to add names of all terrorists, including the Taliban  leader, Mullah Haibatullah, in its sanctions list. 

A statement from the Presidential Palace said the president told a UN’s sanctions delegation that serious measures should be taken against those countries that provide safe havens for terrorists.

President Ghani emphasized on countering narcotics and said: “We want all terrorists and the current Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah’s names to be added to the UNSC list.”

A clear policy against terrorist havens outside the country, blocking financial resources of terrorists and global fight against drugs are the main demands of president Ghani from UN’s sanctions delegation.

President noted that the war was not internal. “There are 30 terrorist groups in the country and the region which is a threat to the world and needs a mid-term plan and strategy to fight the phenomenon.” 

He said one of the biggest sources that financed terrorists was narcotics and the second one illegal excavation of mines.

UN sanctions’ delegation head, Gerard van Bohemen said: “We would consider the president’s views regarding adding terrorists, including Mullah Haibatullah, names to the UN’s Security Council sanctions list.”

 “We are ready for every kind of support with Afghanistan in the peace process and also in controlling the banking system through which terrorists are being funded.”

He said a UN monitoring team would find out how black money was turned white and drugs financed terrorists.

This comes as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e Islami party is in US black list and there are bargaining on removal of his name from the list; an action that has followed harsh reactions of civil societies and residents.