UK Foreign Office approves sanctions against Taliban

The UK may impose sanctions against the Taliban (the movement is recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia) if the militants prohibit Afghans who do not want to live under their rule to leave the country, and also aid terrorist groups. This is stated in an article by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, Dominic Raab, published in The Sunday Telegraph.

The minister specified that the UK could apply sanctions against the Taliban either unilaterally or through UN mechanisms. Raab explained that the use of sanctions depends on "choices the Taliban make on key issues, including ensuring a safe exit from the country, combating the terrorist threat and creating an enabling environment in which humanitarian organizations can operate."

As the minister pointed out, the international community must work together to influence the actions of the Taliban and use all the levers of pressure at their disposal. These include, in addition to a full range of sanctions, a "strict approach to aid" and access to the international financial system.