Muhammad Omar Zadran (Omar) is a Haqqani Network leader who as of 2013 was in command of over 100 militants active in Khowst Province, Afghanistan. Omar has served as an HQN Shadow District Governor, and as a commander under HQN leader Sirajuddin Haqqani since 2005, and has planned or been instructed to plan attacks on behalf of the HQN since at least 2006. Omar has worked with the Taliban, serving in 2010 as a member of the Miram Shah Shura Council established by the Taliban to discuss logistics for insurgents, training, assignments and other needs for commanders, and deployment of terrorist cells to southeastern Afghanistan. Omar has participated in the preparation and planning of attacks against Afghan citizens, the Afghan government, and Coalition personnel in Afghanistan on behalf of both the HQN and the Taliban. In early 2013, Omar was in charge of smuggling explosives into Afghanistan. In 2012, Omar and dozens of other HQN members worked on a vehicle-borne improved explosive device (VBIED) attack against a Coalition Forces camp and was involved in attack planning against troops in Paktiya Province, Afghanistan. Omar has coordinated logistics, training, and assignments with the Taliban. As of 2011, Omar was involved in suicide attack planning. In 2010, Omar was tasked by an HQN commander to kidnap and murder local Afghan nationals working for Coalition Forces in Khowst, Paktiya, Paktika, and Baghlan Provinces, Afghanistan. In 2010, Omar and other militant leaders in the region agreed to intensify attacks against the Afghan government and Coalition forces, capture and control various districts, disrupt national assembly elections and road construction operations, and recruit local youths. Also in 2010, Omar received orders from Sirajuddin Haqqani.
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”).
