US Treasury facilitates humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan

ANKARA

The US Treasury Department has issued general licenses and guidance to facilitate humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, it said in a statement.

The department said in a press release on Friday that its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued two general licenses "to support the continued flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan."

The move was meant to ensure that US sanctions "do not limit the ability of civilians located in Afghanistan to receive humanitarian support" from the US and the international community, while denying assets to the Taliban and other sanctioned entities and individuals.

"Treasury will continue to work with financial institutions, international organizations, and the non-governmental organization community to ease the flow of critical resources, like agricultural goods, medicine, and other essential supplies, to people in need, while upholding and enforcing our sanctions against the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and other sanctioned entities," said OFAC Director Andrea M. Gacki.

OFAC's two licenses authorize activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan, and certain transactions related to the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices.

Meanwhile, The Taliban-run Foreign Ministry in Afghanistan has welcomed the move.

In a statement, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the ministry spokesman, said that the interim government is hopeful that all countries and international organizations, including the US, will continue to strengthen ties with Afghanistan and provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

In another development, Shahabuddin Delavar, a senior Taliban figure, said that the group wants good relations with the US and other countries.

Also, Din Mohammad Hanif, the acting economy minister, urged the international community to give the Taliban a 20-month period to prove its ability to serve the nation with transparency.

The US government has blocked the Afghan central bank's reserves, and many donors and organizations, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, have halted payments since the Taliban swept to power on Aug. 15.

* S. K. Khan in Islamabad contributed to this story