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UN Sanctions List: Two Terror Entries Removed

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-22/178 · issued 08 Mar 2022 · ~1 min read

Quick answerRBI notifies removal of two individuals from UNSC's ISIL/Al-Qaida sanctions list. Banks must update their screening databases and unfreeze assets if these names were previously blocked, ensuring compliance with UAPA Section 51A.

Sanctions-list safety note. This circular refers to a specific UN Security Council / UAPA designated-entities list update as it stood on the date above — sanctions lists change often, and a newer update almost certainly exists today. Never use this page, or any single dated circular, as your current screening list. Always screen against the live, current list at the official UAPA proscribed-organisations list and the UN Consolidated List, and confirm the obligations for your bank on the official rbi.org.in source below.

The rule, in the simplest words

The RBI told banks to remove two people from their 'watch list' (list of people whose money must be frozen) because the United Nations said they are no longer terrorists.
If a bank had frozen any money or property just because of these two people, it must now unfreeze (let the owner use) that money or property.
Banks must check their computer systems that screen customers to make sure these two names are no longer blocked.
If someone whose money was frozen asks to be removed, the bank must send that request to the government's Ministry of Home Affairs.

How it plays out — a real example

Ravi, a compliance officer at a bank in Mumbai, gets the RBI notice. He logs into his bank's sanctions screening system and deletes the two names 'Abd al-Malik Muhammad Yusuf' and 'Nayif Salih Salim al-Qaysi'. Then he checks the frozen accounts list and finds one account that was frozen only because of these names. He unfreezes it and calls the customer to say their money is available again.

What changed

The UN Security Council removed two entries (QDi.346 and QDi.402) from its 1267/1989 ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List effective March 3, 2022. Regulated entities must no longer treat these individuals as designated terrorists for freezing purposes.

What it means for you

Banks and lenders must immediately update their AML/KYC screening systems to reflect the removal. Any accounts or assets frozen solely due to these entries should be unfrozen, but careful verification is needed to ensure no other sanctions apply. This is a routine but critical compliance update.

What you must do

Update your sanctions screening database to remove the two delisted individuals.
Unfreeze any accounts or assets that were blocked only because of these entries.
Forward any delisting requests from affected parties to MHA's Joint Secretary (CTCR) as per existing instructions.
Document the compliance action taken for audit and regulatory review.

Who it affects

All scheduled commercial banks, All non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), All payment system operators, All other regulated entities under RBI

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Stated effective date effective March 3, 2022
Decoded by BankPulse 2026-06-18 06:43 IST

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What are the names of the two removed individuals?

The removed entries are QDi.346: 'Abd al-Malik Muhammad Yusuf 'Uthman 'Abd-al-Salam (also known as 'Umar al-Qatari) and QDi.402: Nayif Salih Salim al-Qaysi (also known as Nayif al-Ghaysi).

Do we need to inform customers about the unfreezing?

RBI does not explicitly require customer notification, but best practice is to inform affected account holders promptly and document the action for compliance records.

Where can we find the updated UN sanctions list?

The updated list is available at www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list and for Taliban at www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/materials.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI

RBI/2021-22/178
 DOR.AML.REC.91/14.06.001/2021-22
 March 08, 2022
 The Chairpersons/ CEOs of all the Regulated Entities
 Madam/Dear Sir,
 Implementation of Section 51A of UAPA, 1967: Updates to UNSC’s 1267/ 1989 ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List: Removal of 2 entries
 Please refer to Section 51 of our Master Direction on Know Your Customer dated February 25, 2016 as amended on May 10, 2021, in terms of which “Regulated Entities (REs) shall ensure that in terms of Section 51A of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act, 1967, they do not have any account in the name of individuals/entities appearing in the lists of individuals and entities, suspected of having terrorist links, which are approved by and periodically circulated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).”
 2. In this connection, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has informed about UNSC press release regarding removal of 2 entries from UNSC’s 1267/1989 ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Committee established pursuant to Resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities regarding changes in the List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of UNSC resolution 2368 (2017), and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.
 Reference SC/14818 dated 03 March 2022 regarding removal of 2 entries [QDi.346 Name: 1: 'ABD AL-MALIK 2: MUHAMMAD 3: YUSUF 4: 'UTHMAN 'ABDAL-SALAM Title:na Designation: na DOB:13 Jul. 1989 POB: na Good quality a.k.a.: 'Abd al Malik Muhammad Yusif 'Abd-al-Salam Low quality a.k.a.: a) 'Umar al-Qatari b)'Umar al-Tayyar Nationality: Jordan Passport no: K475336, issued on 31 Aug. 2009, issued in Jordan (expired on 30Aug. 2014)National identification no: na QDi.402 Name:1: NAYIF 2: SALIH 3: SALIM 4: AL-QAYSI Title: na Designation: na DOB: 1983 POB: Al Baydah Governorate, Yemen Good quality a.k.a.: Naif Saleh Salem al Qaisi Low quality a.k.a.: Nayif al-Ghaysi Nationality: Yemen Passport no: Yemen 04796738 National identification no: na] in UNSC’s 1267/ 1989 ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List.
 The UNSC press release concerning amendments to the list is available at URL: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/press-releases 
 3. Updated lists of individuals and entities linked to ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and Taliban are available at:
 www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list 
 https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/materials 
 4. The details of the sanction measures and exemptions are available at the following URL: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267#further_information 
 5. As per the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), any request for delisting received by any Regulated Entity (RE) is to be forwarded electronically to Joint Secretary (CTCR), MHA for consideration. Individuals, groups, undertakings or entities seeking to be removed from the Security Council’s ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List can submit their request for delisting to an independent and impartial Ombudsperson who has been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General. More details are available at the following URL: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ombudsperson/application 
 6. In view of the above, REs are advised to take note of the aforementioned UNSC communication and ensure meticulous compliance.
 Yours faithfully,
 (Sidharth Prakash)
 Deputy General Manager

Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-22/178 · issued 08 Mar 2022. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.

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Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All scheduled commercial banks, All non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), All payment system operators, All other regulated entities under RBI), your first concrete step on “UN Sanctions List: Two Terror Entries Removed” is: “Update your sanctions screening database to remove the two delisted individuals.” (RBI issued this 08 Mar 2022).

Circular: RBI/2021-22/178 -- UN Sanctions List: Two Terror Entries Removed
Issued: 08 Mar 2022
Action required: Update your sanctions screening database to remove the two delisted individuals.
Action required: Unfreeze any accounts or assets that were blocked only because of these entries.
Action required: Forward any delisting requests from affected parties to MHA's Joint Secretary (CTCR) as per existing instructions.
Action required: Document the compliance action taken for audit and regulatory review.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________

Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.

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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly).
Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=12250&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.