The United States welcomes yesterday’s action by the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 ISIL and al-Qa’ida Sanctions Committee to designate ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), an ISIS affiliate that has carried out terrorist attacks primarily in Afghanistan. The United States previously designated ISIS-K as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224 in September 2015, and as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act in January 2016. ISIS-K is the first ISIS affiliate to be designated by the UN.
ISIS-K is responsible for dozens of attacks and killing hundreds of innocent civilians. This UN designation obligates all member states to implement a travel ban, arms embargo, and asset freeze on ISIS-K, actions that will cut the group off from the resources it needs to continue its terrorist activities.
This action is a necessary step in the global fight to defeat ISIS. Despite the complete liberation of ISIS-held territory in Iraq and Syria, ISIS-K and other ISIS affiliates around the world remain a significant terrorist threat, and the international community must work together to deny them the resources they seek.