Uzbekistan urges International community to release Afghanistan's assets

Tashkent [Uzbekistan], December 9 : Uzbekistan has urged the international community to lift sanctions and unfreeze the assets of Afghanistan as the country is going through the worst humanitarian situation, local media reported on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov in his contribution at the Italy-Central Asia Second Ministerial Meeting in Tashkent urged the world community to lift sanctions and unfreeze the assets of Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.
According to the Afghanistan news agency, Uzbekistan has now become another country in the region that asks for the release of over USD 9.5 billion preserves of Afghanistan now frozen in American banks.
Earlier, Pakistan, China, and Russia had urged the world to unfreeze Afghanistan's assets.
The Uzbek Foreign Minister asks the world to undertake actions to lift sanctions of Afghanistan, unfreeze its assets, and work for the restoration of its banking system as the country is going through the worst humanitarian situation, Khaama Press reported.
"The people of Afghanistan are in a very difficult situation and the humanitarian situation of the country is nearing disaster. It is important to provide effective assistance to the people of Afghanistan." Said Kamilov. He further called on the Taliban to take action and do not allow terrorism to spread from their soil.
The Taliban entered Kabul on August 15, causing the US-backed government to step down. Later in September, the outfit announced the composition of the new interim government of Afghanistan.
The country is currently battered by the deepening economic, humanitarian, and security crisis following the Taliban takeover. The international community, from governments to non-governmental organizations, has been providing various assistance to the Afghan people.