Kamkai Village, Achin District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan;
Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
Official reason
The U.S. Department of the Treasury today targeted the financial and leadership networks of the Taliban by designating one entity and two individuals as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. The Pakistan-based hawala, Haji Basir and Zarjmil Company (Basir Zarjmil Hawala), and, its owner, Haji Abdul Basir, are being designated for providing financial services or other support to the Taliban. In addition, Taliban commander Qari Rahmat is being designated for acting for or on behalf of the Taliban. Qari Rahmat has been a Taliban commander since at least February 2010. In early 2013, Rahmat served as a Taliban commander in the Shadaal Bazaar area of Achin District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. Rahmat directed the activities of approximately 300 Taliban operatives in Achin District and provided operational guidance and weapons to these operatives. In late 2012, Rahmat was a Taliban commander who had recently led an attack on Afghan forces in Kot District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. As of mid-2012, Rahmat served under the Taliban shadow district chief for Achin District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. During this time, Rahmat was a Taliban facilitator who emplaced improvised explosive devices and conducted attacks against Coalition and Afghan forces.
Rahmat also collects taxes and bribes on behalf of the Taliban. As of early 2013, Rahmat collected taxes from Shadaal Bazaar, Achin District, Nangarhar Province-based drug traffickers on behalf of the Taliban.
Rahmat has also provided lethal aid, housing, and guidance to Taliban fighters. As of late 2012, Rahmat provided rocket propelled grenades, PKM light machine guns, and AK-47 assault rifles to the Taliban. Rahmat also sheltered Taliban fighters at his guest house and provided tactical guidance to Taliban fighters during this period. As of late 2011, Rahmat had a guest house in Achin District where Taliban members often stayed.
On June 6, 2003, OFAC issued the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 594 (68 FR 34196, June 6, 2003 (“the Regulations”), to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 of September 23, 2001, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism” (66 FR 49079, September 25, 2001). OFAC has amended the Regulations on several occasions.
On September 9, 2019, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701–1706) (IEEPA) and the United Nations Participation Act (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), issued E.O. 13886, “Modernizing Sanctions To Combat Terrorism” (84 FR 48041, September 12, 2019), effective September 10, 2019. In E.O. 13886, the President, finding it necessary to consolidate and enhance sanctions to combat acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism by foreign terrorists, terminated the national emergency declared in E.O. 12947 of January 23, 1995, “Prohibiting Transactions With Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process” (60 FR 5079, January 25, 1995), and revoked E.O. 12947, as amended by E.O. 13099 of August 20, 1998, “Prohibiting Transactions With Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process” (63 FR 45167, August 25, 1998). In addition, the President amended E.O. 13224, in order to build upon initial steps taken in E.O. 12947, to further strengthen and consolidate sanctions to combat the continuing threat posed by international terrorism, and in order to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in E.O. 13224, with respect to the continuing and immediate threat of grave acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign terrorists, which include acts of terrorism that threaten the Middle East peace process.
Section 1 of E.O. 13886 replaces in its entirety section 1 of E.O. 13224, which had been amended by a number of prior Executive orders (E.O. 13224, as amended by all such authorities, is referred to herein as “amended E.O. 13224”), but does not amend the Annex to E.O. 13224, which was previously amended by E.O. 13268 of July 2, 2002, “Termination of Emergency With Respect to the Taliban and Amendment of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001” (67 FR 44751, July 3, 2002) (“amended Annex to E.O. 13224”).
