The United Nations Security Council has dropped sanctions against Afghan strongman Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, potentially paving the way for the notorious warlord to return openly to Afghanistan.

The Afghan government requested the move as part of a peace deal with Hekmatyar and his militant group, Hezb-i-Islami, in September.

The deal was criticised by some Afghans and human rights groups for the pardon it granted to Hekmatyar and many of his fighters.

While playing only a small role in the current insurgent conflict in Afghanistan, Hekmatyar was a major figure during the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when he was accused of indiscriminately firing rockets into Kabul, as well as other human rights abuses.

The Afghan government welcomed the UN's decision made on Friday as a "a major step toward peace and stability in Afghanistan," said Mohammad Akram Khpalwak, a political advisor for President Ashraf Ghani.

"This was a demand of the people and government of Afghanistan," he told Reuters on Saturday. "It is a major step for the peace process between Hezb-i-Islami and the government of Afghanistan."

In removing Hekmatyar from the list of people sanctioned for their ties to al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and other militant groups, the UN unfroze his assets, and dropped a travel ban and arms embargo against him.

Hekmatyar's whereabouts have been unknown since he signed the peace deal with Ghani in September via a prerecorded video from an undisclosed location.

With the UN sanctions now removed, government officials expect Hekmatyar to eventually return to the Afghan capital, despite the continued controversy.

Many foreign governments, including the United States, praised the accord at the time as a step toward wider peace in Afghanistan.</s>Alwaght- The United Nations has dropped a series of sanctions against one of the most nutritious warlords in Afghanistan on Friday.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, is now allowed to freely return to Afghanistan as the move could potentially pave the way for his appearance in Afghan political scene.

Hekmatyar was sanctioned for his connections to the al-Qaeda, ISIS and other terrorist groups and now by the removal of those sanctions, the UN unfroze his assets, and dropped a travel ban and arms embargo against him.

The Afghan government requested the move as part of a peace deal with Hekmatyar and his militant group, Hezb-i-Islami, in September.

Based on the deal, the warlord and his militants were granted a comprehensive state pardon that hugely criticized by some Afghans and human rights groups.

While playing only a small role in the current insurgent conflict in Afghanistan, Hekmatyar was a major figure during the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when he was accused of indiscriminately firing rockets into Kabul, as well as other human rights abuses.

Hekmatyar's whereabouts have been unknown since he signed the peace deal with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in September via a prerecorded video from an undisclosed location.

With the UN sanctions now removed, government officials expect Hekmatyar to eventually return to the Afghan capital, despite the continued controversy.</s>KABUL (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council has dropped sanctions against Afghan strongman Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, potentially paving the way for the notorious warlord to return openly to Afghanistan.

A screen shows the broadcast of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar during a signing ceremony with Afghan government at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan September 29, 2016. REUTERS/ Omar Sobhani - RTSPZKX

The Afghan government requested the move as part of a peace deal with Hekmatyar and his militant group, Hezb-i-Islami, in September.

The deal was criticized by some Afghans and human rights groups for the pardon it granted to Hekmatyar and many of his fighters.

While playing only a small role in the current insurgent conflict in Afghanistan, Hekmatyar was a major figure during the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when he was accused of indiscriminately firing rockets into Kabul, as well as other human rights abuses.

The Afghan government welcomed the U.N.’s decision made on Friday as a “a major step toward peace and stability in Afghanistan,” said Mohammad Akram Khpalwak, a political advisor for President Ashraf Ghani.

“This was a demand of the people and government of Afghanistan,” he told Reuters on Saturday. “It is a major step for the peace process between Hezb-i-Islami and the government of Afghanistan.”

In removing Hekmatyar from the list of people sanctioned for their ties to al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and other militant groups, the U.N. unfroze his assets, and dropped a travel ban and arms embargo against him.

Hekmatyar’s whereabouts have been unknown since he signed the peace deal with Ghani in September via a prerecorded video from an undisclosed location.

With the U.N. sanctions now removed, government officials expect Hekmatyar to eventually return to the Afghan capital, despite the continued controversy.

Many foreign governments, including the United States, praised the accord at the time as a step toward wider peace in Afghanistan.</s>By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: The United Nations Security Council on Friday dropped sanctions against Gulbuddin Hekmatyar the leader of Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA), aimed at supporting peace drive in Afghanistan.

As part of peace deal, the Afghan government requested the UN Security Council to remove HIA from black list. The group considered as the second largest armed group in the country.

According to a statement published on 3rd February by the Security Council, a UN committee removed Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s name from the sanctions list.

According to statement 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 of HIA leader Hekmatyar from the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.

“UN Security Council removed Hekmatyar’s name following request by the Afghan government,” President Ashraf Ghani’s Advisor, Akram Khpalwak told newsmen on Saturday. The call for removal comes after the Afghan government signed a peace deal with HIA.

According to him, the removal is a “sign by the UN Security Council to support peace process” in Afghanistan.

He added that work is going over the fate of HIA prisoners by the Attorney General Office, and the outcome would be shared at the future. He also informed of government preparations to welcome HIA leader in Kabul.

Pointing out to the success of peace deal between government and HIA, Khpalwak called on all armed groups, including Taliban insurgent to shun violence and join peace and reconciliation process.

Peace with HIA was an intra-Afghan process, which supported by all Afghans and International community, he mentioned.

Mohammad Karim Amin, Head of HIA Delegation said, “removal of HIA leader’s name from UN-black list is a positive step toward peace in Afghanistan.” He said that based on peace agreement, removal of HIA leaders from UN-black list was a need. He ensured people that HIA would exert utmost efforts to maintain peace all over the country.

“Removal of HIA leader is a clear sign of UN support for Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process,” he noted.

Maulawi Abdul Khabir, Deputy for High Peace Council (HPC), while voicing pleasure over removal of HIA leader’s name form UN-black list, said, “this step revealed that the Afghan government is committed for bringing peace and stability in the country.”

“Breakthrough in peace process between government and HIA is a sign showing that Afghans has the capability to resolve their challenges at any condition.”

President Ashraf Ghani and the leader of Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in September formally signed peace agreement.

The peace agreement was finalized after nearly two years of formal and non-formal negotiations. The peace draft contains three chapters and 25 articles.

The agreement would facilitate reintegration of the HIA members in political system and dignified return of Afghan refugees from neighboring Pakistan as well as release of the party members from prison.

The HIA committed to accept Constitution of the country and renounce anti-state activities. The party also pledged to end its ties with terrorist outfits.</s>Image copyright Reuters Image caption The signing ceremony was carried live on television

The Afghan government has signed a peace agreement with Hezb-e-Islami, the country's second largest militant group.

Representatives of the movement and Afghan officials signed the accord in a ceremony shown live on TV.

The deal grants immunity to the group's leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an Islamist warlord accused of numerous atrocities.

He was not present at the signing, which is intended to pave the way for him to return from hiding to Kabul.

Mohammad Amin Karim, head of the insurgent delegation, was present at the ceremony.

He said: "This is not just a peace deal between Hezb-e-Islami and the government of Afghanistan, it is a beginning of a new era of peace all around the country."

Under the terms of the deal, Mr Hekmatyar agrees to accept the constitution and abandon violence. He must still sign the accord with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for it to come into force.

The two sides have still to agree when and where that will happen.

Who is Gulbuddin Hekmatyar?

Image copyright AFP Image caption Gulbuddin Hekmatyar was Afghan prime minister in the 1990s

Mr Hekmatyar is a former Afghan prime minister, warlord and one of the most controversial figures in the country's modern history.

He was one of seven anti-Soviet faction chiefs who led a large number of mujahideen fighters in the war against Soviet occupation in the 1980s. He received significant Western aid and funds during the Cold War.

But he is remembered mostly for his role in the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when the Hezb-e-Islami clashed violently with other mujahideen factions in the struggle for control of the capital, Kabul.

The Hezb-e-Islami was blamed for much of the terrible death and destruction of that period, which led many ordinary Afghans to welcome the emergence of the Taliban.

The civil war also led to Mr Hekmatyar's fall from grace - he quickly became one of the most reviled men in the country and he and his men were forced to flee Kabul when the Taliban swept into power in 1996.

In 2003, the US state department designated him as a terrorist, accusing him of taking part in and supporting attacks by al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Will the deal change anything, and will it hold?

Image copyright AP Image caption Mr Hekmatyar, now in his late 60s, has been in hiding for many years

It is still too early to tell if the deal will last. Mr Hekmatyar has a history of shifting allegiances.

Hezb-e-Islami has played a minor role in the Taliban-led insurgency in recent years and so the deal is not expected to improve security in the country.

The accord is highly symbolic, however. It is the first first deal done by Afghans with no UN or international mediation. And Hezb-e-Islami has supporters across the country, meaning the peace agreement could encourage some Taliban leaders to consider joining the process.

BBC Afghan Service editor Waheed Massoud says Mr Hekmatyar appears to have calculated that he will be more significant as a political leader in Kabul than as the leader of a group of fighters up in the mountains who are also competing with the Taliban for influence.

Afghan peace deals have failed before, and a lot remains to be worked out. Mr Hekmatyar still has to negotiate with the Afghan government over where and when he and Mr Ghani will sign the accord, and under what circumstances he will return to Kabul.

There are also concerns about his future role in Afghanistan. Seen as a controversial and attention-seeking figure, he could become more of a headache for Kabul than when he was a rebel leader - potentially forming new coalitions and challenging the government.

What was the reaction to the agreement?

Image copyright AP Image caption Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (pictured) has still to meet Mr Hekmatyar to sign the accord

Franz-Michael Mellbin, the European Union's special representative for Afghanistan, said of the agreement "proves peace is possible".

"The political space to say no to peace in Afghanistan is now virtually non-existent," he said, adding that the deal "creates a new narrative that has been missing for many, many years".

Ahmad Gilani, the chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council, welcomed the agreement: "I am happy and confident on the finalising of this agreement, that it will be a good start for long lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan."

But New York-based Human Rights Watch issued a statement referring to Mr Hekmatyar as "one of Afghanistan's most notorious war crimes suspects". Researcher Patricia Grossman said his return would "compound the culture of impunity that the Afghan government and its foreign donors have fostered by not pursuing... Hekmatyar and other warlords".

A group of activists protested in Kabul, holding placards portraying Mr Hekmatyar with blood spilling from his mouth and a rocket piercing his nose. One placard read: "We cannot forgive the executioner of Kabul."

Image copyright AFP

Some ordinary Afghans welcomed the agreement. Mohammad Hanif, 62, a shopkeeper, told the Associated Press: "We are thirsty for peace and we welcome anyone who comes in peace, the past is the past."

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said it was too early to comment on the deal.</s>KABUL, Feb 4 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council has dropped sanctions against Afghan strongman Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, potentially paving the way for the notorious warlord to return openly to Afghanistan.

The Afghan government requested the move as part of a peace deal with Hekmatyar and his militant group, Hezb-i-Islami, in September.

The deal was criticised by some Afghans and human rights groups for the pardon it granted to Hekmatyar and many of his fighters.

While playing only a small role in the current insurgent conflict in Afghanistan, Hekmatyar was a major figure during the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when he was accused of indiscriminately firing rockets into Kabul, as well as other human rights abuses.

The Afghan government welcomed the U.N.'s decision made on Friday as a "a major step toward peace and stability in Afghanistan," said Mohammad Akram Khpalwak, a political advisor for President Ashraf Ghani.

"This was a demand of the people and government of Afghanistan," he told Reuters on Saturday. "It is a major step for the peace process between Hezb-i-Islami and the government of Afghanistan."

In removing Hekmatyar from the list of people sanctioned for their ties to al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and other militant groups, the U.N. unfroze his assets, and dropped a travel ban and arms embargo against him.

Hekmatyar's whereabouts have been unknown since he signed the peace deal with Ghani in September via a prerecorded video from an undisclosed location.

With the U.N. sanctions now removed, government officials expect Hekmatyar to eventually return to the Afghan capital, despite the continued controversy.

Many foreign governments, including the United States, praised the accord at the time as a step toward wider peace in Afghanistan. (Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Sam Holmes)</s>KABUL: The United Nations Security Council on Friday dropped sanctions against Afghan strongman Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, potentially paving the way for the notorious warlord to return openly to Afghanistan.

The Afghan government requested the move as part of a peace deal with Hekmatyar and his militant group, Hezb-i-Islami, in September.

The deal was criticised by some Afghans and human rights groups for the pardon it granted to Hekmatyar and many of his fighters.

While playing only a small role in the current insurgent conflict in Afghanistan, Hekmatyar was a major figure during the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when he was accused of indiscriminately firing rockets into Kabul, as well as other human rights abuses.

Spokespeople for Hekmatyar and the Afghan government were not immediately available to comment.

In removing Hekmatyar from the list of people sanctioned for their ties to al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and other militant groups, the U.N. unfroze his assets, and dropped a travel ban and arms embargo against him.

Hekmatyar's whereabouts have been unknown since he signed the peace deal with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in September via a prerecorded video from an undisclosed location.

With the U.N. sanctions now removed, government officials expect Hekmatyar to eventually return to the Afghan capital, despite the continued controversy.

Many foreign governments, including the United States, praised the accord at the time as a step toward wider peace in Afghanistan.</s>KABUL, Feb 4 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council on Friday dropped sanctions against Afghan strongman Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, potentially paving the way for the notorious warlord to return openly to Afghanistan.

The Afghan government requested the move as part of a peace deal with Hekmatyar and his militant group, Hezb-i-Islami, in September.

The deal was criticised by some Afghans and human rights groups for the pardon it granted to Hekmatyar and many of his fighters.

While playing only a small role in the current insurgent conflict in Afghanistan, Hekmatyar was a major figure during the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when he was accused of indiscriminately firing rockets into Kabul, as well as other human rights abuses.

Spokespeople for Hekmatyar and the Afghan government were not immediately available to comment.

In removing Hekmatyar from the list of people sanctioned for their ties to al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and other militant groups, the U.N. unfroze his assets, and dropped a travel ban and arms embargo against him.

Hekmatyar's whereabouts have been unknown since he signed the peace deal with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in September via a prerecorded video from an undisclosed location.

With the U.N. sanctions now removed, government officials expect Hekmatyar to eventually return to the Afghan capital, despite the continued controversy.

Many foreign governments, including the United States, praised the accord at the time as a step toward wider peace in Afghanistan. (Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Sam Holmes)</s>Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: UN lifts sanctions on notorious Afghan warlord paving way for return

The only insurgent to have signed a peace pact with the Afghan Government, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, has had sanctions against him dropped by the United Nations Security Council, potentially paving the way for him to openly return to the country.

The Afghan Government requested the move as part of a peace deal with Hekmatyar and his militant group, Hezb-i-Islami, in September.

The Afghan Government welcomed the UN's decision made as a "a major step toward peace and stability in Afghanistan," said Mohammad Akram Khpalwak, a political advisor for President Ashraf Ghani.

But the deal was criticised by some Afghans and human rights groups for the pardon it granted to Hekmatyar and many of his fighters.

While playing only a small role in the current insurgent conflict in Afghanistan, Hekmatyar was a major figure during the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when he was accused of indiscriminately firing rockets into Kabul, as well as other human rights abuses.

"This was a demand of the people and Government of Afghanistan," Mr Khpalwak said of the decision.

In removing Hekmatyar from the list of people sanctioned for their ties to Al Qaeda, Islamic State, and other militant groups, the UN unfroze his assets, and dropped a travel ban and arms embargo against him.

Hekmatyar's whereabouts have been unknown since he signed the peace deal with Ghani in September via a pre-recorded video from an undisclosed location.

With the UN sanctions now removed, government officials expect Hekmatyar to eventually return to the Afghan capital, despite the continued controversy.

Many foreign Governments, including the United States, praised the accord at the time as a step toward wider peace in Afghanistan.</s>The United Nations Security Council dropped sanctions against Afghan strongman Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, potentially paving the way for the warlord to return openly to Afghanistan.

 

 The Afghan government requested the move as part of a peace deal with Hekmatyar and his militant group, Hezb-i-Islami, in September.

 

 The deal was criticized by some Afghans and human rights groups for the pardon it granted to Hekmatyar and many of his fighters.

 

 While playing only a small role in the current insurgent conflict in Afghanistan, Hekmatyar was a major figure during the bloody civil war of the 1990s, when he was accused of indiscriminately firing rockets into Kabul, as well as other human rights abuses.

 

 In removing Hekmatyar from the list of people sanctioned for their ties with the Al Qaeda, the Islamic State and other militant groups, the UN unfroze his assets, and dropped a travel ban and arms embargo against him.

 

 Hekmatyar's whereabouts have been unknown since he signed the peace deal with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in September via a pre-recorded video from an undisclosed location.

 

 With the UN sanctions now removed, government officials expect Hekmatyar to eventually return to the Afghan capital, despite the continued controversy.

 

 Many foreign governments, including the US, praised the accord at the time as a step toward wider peace in Afghanistan.
Per the Afghan government's request, the United Nations drops sanctions against Hezb-e Islami party leader and former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. This potentially sets up his return to Afghanistan, which is part of the country's peace deal with its second largest militant group, signed in September 2016.