UN Security Council renews mandate of monitoring team in Afghanistan

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN Security Council on Thursday unanimously renewed the mandate of the Monitoring Team assisting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee for another year.

The resolution, authored by the US, extended the team's work for 12 months. All 15 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the resolution.

The Monitoring Team supports the committee responsible for overseeing sanctions related to Afghanistan. The sanctions framework includes measures such as asset freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo targeting individuals and entities linked to the Taliban.

The sanctions committee, a subsidiary body of the Security Council, is tasked with identifying and listing those who meet the criteria, reviewing exemption requests, and regularly briefing the Security Council on developments.

Speaking after the vote, the US deputy envoy to the UN, Tammy Bruce, said "the monitoring team's reports provide critical analysis of how sanctions affect designated individuals and entities, while also enhancing our comprehension of the situation in Afghanistan."

Since the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces, Afghanistan continues to face a humanitarian and economic crisis despite relative internal stability, with relative security and cross-border risks.