Montreal: Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau let the door open for sanctions on the Taliban on Monday, noting that the Islamic group which now controls Afghanistan remains a “terrorist entity”.
“Canada has admitted, and for a long time, that the Taliban is a terrorist, and crashes into a terrorist.
That’s why they are on a list of terrorists.
So, yes, we can talk about sanctions,” Trudeau said told reporters.
At the Tuesday leader from the G7 group of rich countries – Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States – will meet virtually in Afghanistan.
Trudeau said that he was “looking forward to” conversation “shortly with fellow G7 leaders when we see what else we can do.” The British, which currently holds the G7 turn presidency, has said that the existing sanctions assistance “will depend on the Taliban behavior”.
The Islamic group swept power in mid-August, almost 20 years after his first regime was dropped in 2001 by the US-led invasion to Afghanistan.
The United States and its allies racing to evacuate tens of thousands of people from the country before the time limit of US President Joe Biden August 31 for the final withdrawal of all his troops.
But with the European Union and the UK said it was impossible to remove everyone, Biden was under pressure to extend the time limit.
England said that Monday would urge the United States to extend it, while the Taliban warned that every delay would lead to “consequences.” Trudeau does not reveal its position to push the deadline.
He said the Canadian focus remained “because of as much as possible Afghanistan for safety”.
This situation remains “volatile and chaotic” near the airport in Kabul, where thousands of Afghans who feared flee from Taliban rules have gathered for days in an effort to support evacuation flights, said Senior Canadian officials on Monday.
Canada continued flight to Kabul on Thursday for the first time since the Taliban confiscated the Afghan capital.
Four flights have taken off from Kabul to Canada, the latest carrying 436 Canadians and Afghan citizens on Sundays.
Nearly 900 Afghanistan has arrived in Canada under a new special immigration program, Canadian officials said.
Canada recently promised to take 20,000 Afghan refugees under this program.