The United Nations Security Council has removed the names of Taliban from its sanctions list, saying they are not as much of a threat. Three of them have already made peace with Kabul, and the other two are dead.

A New York Times report said they were among a list of 20 names that Afghan Government submitted several years ago to a UNSC committee, which was responsible for maintaining the blacklist.

The five whose names have been deleted are Abdul Salam Zaeef, a former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan and a former deputy minister of mines, Abdul Satar Paktin, a former deputy health minister, and Abdul Hakim Mujahed Awrang, a former unofficial representative to the United Nations. The two dead men removed were Mohammed Islam Mohammadi, the former governor of Bamian Province, and Abdul Samad Khaksar, the former deputy interior minister. (ANI)