United States adds four Afghanistan nationals to Designated Global Terrorist list

The United States Treasury Department has added four Afghan men to its list of Designated Global Terrorists, according to an official statement released on November 22. The sanctions were issued by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on four people including Ismatullah Khalozai, who was classified as a substantial financial facilitator for the Afghan branch of the Islamic State (ISIS-K).

"Today, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Ismatullah Khalozai, an individual who has acted as a financial facilitator for the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province (ISIL-Khorasan), active in Afghanistan and commonly referred to as 'ISIS-K.' This individual has provided support to ISIS-K’s operations in Afghanistan by facilitating international financial transactions that fund human trafficking networks and facilitating the movement of foreign fighters who seek to escalate tensions in Afghanistan and the region," the departmentsid informed in its .

Three more people, Sultan Aziz Azam, Sanaullah Ghafari, and Maulawi Rajab, were added to the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, according to the agency's statement. On August 15, the Taliban took over Kabul, forcing the US-backed government to resign. Later that month, the group unveiled the makeup of Afghanistan's new temporary government. The country is currently being pounded by worsening economic, humanitarian, and security crises as a result of the Taliban's takeover. The international community has provided many forms of support to the Afghan people, ranging from governments to non-governmental groups. 

Afghanistan's banking sector on verge of collapse, UNDP warns

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) warned on Monday that Afghanistan's banking sector is on the verge of collapsing due to rising liquidity issues and an increase in non-performing loans, thereby exacerbating the country's humanitarian catastrophe.

Since the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan more than three months ago, a looming banking crisis has added to the difficulties of the country's failing economy. It also comes as Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's foreign minister, repeated calls for the US to release $9 billion in blocked cash or risk unleashing a huge refugee flight. More than half of the country's population, according to the World Food Program, is suffering from acute hunger. Afghanistan would risk widespread famine, according to Al Dardari, unless the international community takes immediate steps to assist with the financial sector.

(Image: AP)