KABUL, Jan 29 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Afghanistan grounded its national air carrier Monday as its U.N. sanctions hit government failed to buy oil for its domestic passenger fleet, news agencies quoted a Taliban officials as saying.
Ariana Airlines has been subject to an embargo since last year when the U.N. banned all international travel for the airline. And in November, the international organization froze all assets belonging to the airlines.
As a result of the sanctions, aviation officials from the impoverished country were prevented from attending a meeting in neighboring Pakistan. The U.N. committee said that if the officials desired to attend the meeting they would have to take a road, a rough way as most roads were devastated by years of wars.
Qari Rehmatullah, deputy head of the airlines, told news agencies that Ariana would lay off some 400 employees after canceling all domestic flights.
The expanded U.N. sanctions impose an arms embargo against the Taliban (which Western countries claim apply a strict form of Islam), restrict travel of its leaders and reduce staff in diplomatic missions.
The decision to cancel domestic flights are likely to exasperate hardships faced by Afghanis, who are still suffering from decades of war with former Soviet Union troops, and a civil war pitting the ruling Taliban against forces of former president Burhandin Rabbani.
Several Islamic groups and Pakistan have appealed for funds to mitigate sufferings of Afghan people after the new sanctions. In addition to the sanctions, Afghanis are also in the midst of a severe drought.
The country has also had to deal with an array of other natural disasters, including earthquakes and floods.
The Taliban, which refers to Afghanistan as an Islamic emirate, faces international isolation as only Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia recognize the ruling faction as the legitimate ruling entity in the country.
The group is also working diligently to win U.N. recognition.
