Three key leaders and financiers for the Haqqani Network and the Taliban have been “designated” or targeted through sanctions for supporting acts of terrorism linked to the militant groups based in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States Department of the Treasury announced this week.
The designation was made pursuant to Executive Order 13224, according to which the Treasury was authorised to target Gul Agha Ishakzai, the head of the Taliban’s financial commission; Amir Abdullah, former treasurer to senior Taliban leader Mullah Berader; and Nasiruddin Haqqani, an emissary for the Haqqani Network.
In targeting these three individuals, the Treasury noted that the Haqqani Network was a Taliban-affiliated group of militants operating out of North Waziristan Agency, and that “Pakistan and has been spearheading insurgent activity in Afghanistan”.
As per the latest Executive Order, the Treasury has effectively frozen all assets that the three individuals hold under U.S. jurisdiction. Further the Treasury may now prohibit any U.S. persons from engaging in any transactions with them. Further the three individuals were also added to the United Nations 1267 Consolidated List on July 19, 2010, for being associated with Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden or the Taliban, the Treasury said in a statement.
Commenting on the designation Adam Szubin, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, said, “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.”
He added that the U.S. would continue to aggressively work to expose and dismantle the financial networks of terrorist groups in support of President Barack Obama’s goal of a stable Afghanistan.
Background details provided
The Treasury also provided background details identifying information on the three individuals targeted.
Regarding Mr. Ishakzai, the Treasury said he was the head of the Taliban’s financial commission and part of a recently-created Taliban council that coordinated the collection of zakat — a tax sanctioned by Islamic law — from Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. The Treasury further noted that Mr. Ishakzai collected money for suicide attacks in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and has been involved in the disbursement of funds for Taliban fighters and their families.
Mr. Abdullah was said to have served as treasurer to senior Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Berader and was the former deputy to the Taliban governor of Kandahar Province. He was also charged with fundraising for the Taliban from numerous countries in the Middle East and in 2001 Mr. Abdullah reportedly “helped many senior Taliban members who fled Afghanistan settle in Pakistan”.
Finally Mr. Haqqani was regarded as a key leader of the Haqqani Network, being the brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani, previously designated by the U.S. in March 2008. Nasiruddin Haqqani was said to function as “an emissary for the Haqqani Network and spends much of his time raising money”.
