The United States formally exempted on Wednesday U.S. and U.N. officials doing permitted business with the Taliban from U.S. sanctions to try to maintain the flow of aid to Afghanistan as it sinks deeper into a humanitarian crisis.
It was unclear, however, whether the move would pave the way for proposed U.N. payments of some $6 million to the Islamists for security.
The Treasury on Wednesday issued three general licenses aimed at easing humanitarian aid flows into Afghanistan. A senior U.S. administration official said the Taliban would have to take action to prevent Afghanistan's economy from contracting further. The exemption "could result in using American taxpayer funds to reward, legitimize and enable the same Taliban that took power by force and has shown no interest in abiding by international norms," Representative Michael McCaul said in a statement.
The United Nations says nearly 23 million people – about 55% of the population – are facing extreme levels of hunger, with nearly 9 million at risk of famine as winter takes hold.
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