Hekmatyar's name removed from UN sanctions list

The United Nations has removed Hezb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar from the sanctions list of the Security Council.

According to a statement by United Nations Security Council (UNSC), "On 3 February 2017, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities removed the name below from the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List."

UNSC disclosed the name of Hekmatyar after he was removed from the sanctions list, providing all the details regarding the Hezb-e-Islami leader, including date of birth and the date he was included in the list, reports Khaama Press.

"Therefore, the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 2 of Security Council resolution 2253 (2015) no longer apply to the name set out below," the statement added.

This comes after the Afghan government had formally sent a letter to the UNSC to remove the leader from its sanctions list following the peace deal between the government and Hezb-e-Islami party that was signed in September last year.

It was a part of one of the promises made by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani while signing the peace agreement with the armed group.

Once branded the "butcher of Kabul", Hekmatyar was a prominent anti-Soviet commander in the 1980s. He is accused of killing thousands of people when his fighters fired on civilian areas of the capital city during the 1992-1996 civil war.

Human Right Watch, the New York-based watchdog, branded Hekmatyar "one of Afghanistan's most notorious war crimes suspects".

The 25-point peace agreement between the Afghan Government and the terror group gives Hekmatyar and his followers' immunity for past actions and grants them full political rights.