We have taken actions against Haqqani leaders: US

Denying reports that the Obama Administration has not slapped sanctions against the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit, State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said FTO designation of the Haqqani network is under review.

"It’s important to state that we have carried out a number of Executive Order 13224 designations that target, essentially the kingpins of the Haqqani Network – financiers, leadership, as well as some of its most dangerous operatives," Toner told reporters.

"In 2008, we targeted Siraj Haqqani, in 2011 Badruddin Haqqani, Sangeen Zadran in 2011, and on the Treasury side, we designated Nasiruddin Haqqani in 2010, Khalil Haqqani in 2011, Ahmed Jan Zadran in 2011, as well as Fazl Rabi in 2011," he noted.

The spokesperson said: "So certainly FTO designation is something under review, but the idea that we haven’t gone after the Haqqani Network at all, I think, is a mis-characterization. Like I said, we’ve affectively targeted many of the kingpins in the organization."

Toner said the US recognises Haqqani network an area of concern.
"We’ve identified that, we’ve raised it at the  highest levels with the Pakistanis, we’ve said we need to take action against the Haqqani Network, and we’re committed at this point to working constructively with them to do that.

"We recognize that this is a clear threat to our security in Afghanistan," he noted.

The US and Pakistan, he said, share a common threat from terrorism. "We have worked constructively in the past, we’ve seen that relationship yield tangible results, we have a relationship that is rooted in our candor, and we have expressed our concerns to them about it.

"But all the while, we’re also committed to working with them to address it."
Acknowledging that he has seen some media reports from Pakistan that they will not take any action against the Haqqanis at this point of time, he said the US has a clear position on this.

"We believe that these kind of safe havens are extremely troubling and indeed a matter of great concern and dangerous development for both the United States and for Pakistan.

"So we want to see action taken against them," he said.