U.S. imposes sanctions on Taliban, Haqqani network

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury announced on Thursday that it has imposed sanctions on six individuals whom it alleged were linked to Taliban and the Afghan guerilla insurgent group Haqqani network.

The designation stopped the six men, who are either Pakistanis or Afghans living in Pakistan, from accessing the U.S. financial system.

Today's action supported President Donald Trump's South Asia Strategy, said Sigal Mandelker, under secretary of the Treasury, in a statement.

"The Pakistani government must work with us to deny the Taliban and the Haqqani Network sanctuary and to aggressively target their terrorist fundraising," Mandelker said.

The sanctions came three weeks after the U.S. government announced a significant suspension of its aid to Pakistan for its "failure" to take decisive action against these groups.

Washington has accused these groups of "destabilizing the region and also targeting U.S. personnel" inside Pakistan.

In response, Pakistan summoned the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan to lodge a protest earlier this month, saying Pakistan has taken action against all militant groups without any discrimination and its sacrifices are being ignored.

As a result of the Treasury's action, any property or interests of the designated persons in the United States will be blocked and transactions by Americans involving these persons are generally prohibited. Enditem