With Taliban out, Security Council lifts sanctions against Ariana Afghan Airlines

With the Taliban out of power in Afghanistan, the Security Council today lifted international sanctions against Ariana Afghan airlines.

The Council’s action, by a unanimously adopted resolution, reflected the new reality that “Ariana Afghan Airlines is no longer owned, leased or operated by or on behalf of the Taliban, nor are its funds and other financial resources owned or controlled – directly or indirectly – by the Taliban.”

The sanctions, originally imposed in 1999 and tightened in 2000, were put in place in an effort to force the Taliban regime to hand over Usama bin Laden and close terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. At the time, Mr. bin Laden had been indicted for the 1998 terrorist bombings of United States embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam.

In a related action, the Security Council committee dealing with Afghan issues on Monday issued a new list of individuals and organizations linked with Mr. bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda network that are subject to the sanctions. These include the Afghan Support Committee as well as the Pakistan and Afghanistan offices of the Revival of Islamic Heritage Society.