UN Security Council Extends Taliban Sanctions Monitoring Team Mandate for One Year

The UN Security Council unanimously approved Resolution 2816 on Thursday, extending the mandate of the monitoring team for sanctions against the Taliban under regime 1988 for another 12 months. The draft was prepared by the United States and passed with 15 votes in favor. Exemptions from travel bans for some Taliban leaders were not renewed.

Tammy Bruce, U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, voted in favor and stated that the Taliban are using detainees, particularly American citizens, as leverage in negotiations with Washington and other countries. Bruce said the Taliban have explicitly demanded the release of an Al-Qaeda member held in Guantanamo in exchange for detained Americans, while emphasizing their counterterrorism commitments. She urged the Taliban to cease all forms of hostage-taking and detentions, stressing that the sanctions regime and monitoring team hold the Taliban accountable on counterterrorism efforts and human rights, especially regarding women and girls.

Pakistan's representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, called on the Taliban to uphold counterterrorism commitments and prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan territory against neighbors. He highlighted suffering from groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), referencing a recent suicide bombing in Islamabad that killed 36 people. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of supporting TTP, which they deny.

Russia's Deputy Representative Anna Ostignyeva welcomed the extension without changes, emphasizing continued engagement with the Taliban and the need for the monitoring team's access to Kabul. She stressed prioritizing counterterrorism, particularly against ISIS-K and affiliates, over excessive focus on human rights, which she said could undermine the sanctions regime.

China's representative urged the Taliban to decisively combat ISIS-K and Al-Qaeda to prevent Afghanistan from threatening regional security.