Kabul [Afghanistan], February 12 (ANI): The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote this Thursday on whether to extend the mandate of its Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team on Afghanistan, a key panel tasked with overseeing the sanctions regime targeting the country's ruling Taliban authorities, reported Tolo News.

The team's current term is set to expire on February 17, and Council members describe the upcoming vote as a pivotal decision in the international community's handling of Afghanistan.

The sanctions monitoring team plays a central role in assessing compliance with and enforcement of measures including asset freezes, travel bans and arms embargoes directed at individuals, groups and entities associated with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the name the Taliban use for their government. Its reports help shape the Security Council's view of how the sanctions affect both governance in Kabul and regional security dynamics.

Political analyst Wais Naseri noted the importance of the team's work, stating: 'This committee prepares annual reports for the UN Security Council, and based on these reports, the Security Council decides each year not to hand over Afghanistan's seat at the United Nations to the Taliban.' The language of this comment reflects a broader concern among some diplomats that ending the monitoring team's mandate could undermine oversight of Afghanistan's increasingly isolated regime, reported Tolo News.

The draft resolution put forward at the Council would maintain the sanctions monitoring team's operations, enabling continued scrutiny of Taliban-affiliated officials and networks. Many member states argue that extending the mandate is vital to ensuring that sanctions remain targeted, proportionate and informed by up-to-date assessments from experts on the ground.

However, not all reactions have been uniform. Aziz Ma'arej, a former diplomat, expressed a critical view of the sanctions themselves, saying: 'The experience of at least the past four years has shown that sanctions against officials of the Islamic Emirate have not benefited the people of Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate, or even the world. Instead of sanctions, a path of dialogue and understanding should be pursued.' His remarks underscore a broader debate within international circles about how best to engage with the Taliban government, whose leadership has been largely unrecognised globally since seizing power in 2021.

The Taliban authorities have not officially reacted to the Security Council's upcoming vote, though they have repeatedly called for the lifting of sanctions on their officials and have sought greater legitimacy on the global stage.

The Security Council vote comes amid a broader backdrop of challenges in Afghanistan, including deepening humanitarian crises, restrictions on freedoms, and ongoing debates over how the international community should respond to the Taliban's rule. The outcome of Thursday's vote is likely to signal the direction of international policy toward Kabul in the months ahead. (ANI)