"Any type of outside contact with the Taliban, or other such groups, without the prior knowledge and approval of the Afghan government, was seen as a legitimization of terror, a direct breach of sovereignty, and a clear contravention of the sanctions regimes. Effectively enforcing existing resolutions, including the sanctions regimes, could have a significant impact," Mahmoud Saikal told the UN Security Council (UNSC), as quoted by the TOLONews broadcaster.
He added that it was essential to include Taliban leaders in the sanctions lists in due time.
Afghanistan is in a state of political and social turmoil, with Taliban insurgents and other extremist factions operating in the country. The United States has been carrying out a counterterrorist operation in Afghanistan since 2001.
