Context
The US and Britain are pushing the UN for removing sanctions against 18 ex- Taliban leaders later this month in the biggest sign yet that the west is seeking a negotiated truce with the Taliban. Officials believe that the move will send a strong message to fighters that it is possible to reintegrate into the Afghan society if they lay down their arms. The sanctions, which were imposed back in 1999 during the Taliban rule and expanded after 9/11, bans around 140 persons from holding bank accounts or traveling. Lifting the sanctions has been a major demand of the Taliban and has been long supported by the government of President Karzai.
