The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will not lift sanctions from Taliban, Russian envoy Russia’s presidential envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov told Anadolu News Agency.

“This was supposed to be done by May 29 on condition that the inter-Afghan talks had to start by March 10, but they have not yet been launched,” he said.

On May 29, the UN Security Council had been expected to vote on lifting sanctions from the Taliban in accordance with an agreement signed between the movement and the US in Doha on Feb. 29.

“This process is being delayed due to the unfinished exchange of prisoners between the parties to the conflict and the absence of a negotiating team from Kabul, which was not formed due to differences between [Afghan President] Ashraf Ghani and [Ghani’s political rival] Abdullah Abdullah. But even after these politicians made an agreement on May 17, the Taliban declared its non-recognition,” Kabul added.

He expects the UN Security Council to put the issue on its agenda after representatives of Kabul, other political forces, and the Taliban begin direct inclusive inter-Afghan negotiations on national reconciliation.

Asked about the Taliban’s ability to control its military wing and force it to adhere to agreements reached with the US, Kabulov said recent developments show its political office in Doha, Qatar is “more or less successfully controlling the situation in the ranks of the movement.”

“So far we see that the Taliban leadership is more or less successfully controlling the situation in the ranks of the movement. This is confirmed by the Taliban’s compliance with the seven-day period of reducing violence just before the signing of the agreement with the US in February this year, as well as their compliance with the terms of this document related to non-aggression against foreign military contingents in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Doha agreement does not provide for the cessation of Taliban’s military operations against government forces,” he said.

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