Senior Taliban Official Visits UAE; Sirajuddin Haqqani on US Wanted List

An Afghan official announced on Wednesday that a senior Taliban leader, wanted by the US for terrorism connections, has made a rare visit to the United Arab Emirates and met with leaders of this Gulf Arab country. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's interior minister, traveled abroad for the first time since the group regained power in Afghanistan. This comes as the US has set a reward for information leading to his arrest. The US State Department's 'Rewards for Justice' program announced on August 20, 2014, that it would pay up to $10 million for credible information that leads to the capture of Sirajuddin Haqqani. The Emirati news agency WAM reported that Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, welcomed Haqqani in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The state news agency also published a photo of the two shaking hands alongside this report. A spokesperson for the US State Department, in a press conference on Wednesday, provided a brief response to a related question, emphasizing the need for authorization for such travel and stating that countries must adhere to this process. Matthew Miller said, 'I would note that hosting members of the Taliban under UN sanctions must be authorized through a waiver process established by the UN sanctions committee in 1988; and it is important that member states follow these procedures.' Dozens of senior Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, are under UN sanctions imposed by the Security Council, which include asset freezes and 'foreign travel bans.' It is unclear whether Haqqani had requested a waiver. However, it is worth noting that these UN sanctions have been reduced over the years to allow Taliban leaders to meet with representatives of foreign countries, especially in the region, regarding advancing the peace plan for Afghanistan and related issues.