The United States has imposed sanctions on a senior Taliban leader in Afghanistan.
The Treasury Department on October 20 designated Torek Agha a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” forbidding U.S. citizens to engage in transactions with him and freezing any property he may have in the United States.
“Torek Agha, a longstanding Taliban member, has been central to spearheading brutal military attacks and raising millions of dollars to support the Taliban's ruthless acts of terrorism," said Adam Szubin, acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
According to the Treasury Department, Agha “was one of four senior Taliban commanders who, as of early 2012, had authorized the use of an unidentified chemical powder to assassinate senior Afghan government officials.”
The department said Agha was a "prolific fundraiser" who has brought millions of dollars from the Gulf to the Taliban. He collected $4 million from Gulf donors in 2010 and $2 million in 2009, it said.