What changed
The UN Security Council Committee, via press release SC/16214 dated November 6, 2025, decided to delist two individuals—Ahmed al-Sharaa (QDi.317) and Anas Hasan Khattab (QDi.336)—from the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions list. RBI has communicated this update to all regulated entities, advising them to take appropriate action under the KYC master direction.
What it means for you
Banks and other regulated entities must immediately remove these two individuals from their internal sanctions screening lists and cease any freeze or reporting actions specifically tied to their listing. However, entities must continue to monitor the UNSC sanctions list for any future updates and ensure compliance with UAPA Section 51A. Any delisting requests received from individuals or entities must be forwarded to the Joint Secretary (CTCR), MHA as per existing instructions.
What you must do
- Update your internal sanctions screening databases to remove the two delisted individuals: Ahmed al-Sharaa and Anas Hasan Khattab.
- Review and unfreeze any accounts or assets that were frozen solely due to their inclusion in the UNSC sanctions list, following legal procedures.
- Ensure your compliance team is aware of the updated UNSC list and the procedure for handling delisting requests as per MHA instructions.
- Continue to regularly check the official UNSC sanctions list URLs provided in the circular for any further changes.
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks, Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), Payment system operators, Other regulated entities under RBI's purview
What should we do if we have frozen accounts of these two individuals?
You should unfreeze those accounts and assets that were frozen solely due to their inclusion in the UNSC sanctions list, after verifying the delisting and following the procedure in the UAPA Order dated February 2, 2021 (amended April 22, 2024) annexed to the KYC master direction.
How do we handle a delisting request from a customer?
Forward any delisting request electronically to the Joint Secretary (CTCR), Ministry of Home Affairs. Individuals can also approach the UN Ombudsperson for delisting from the ISIL/Al-Qaida list.
Where can we find the updated sanctions list?
The updated lists are available at www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list and for Taliban at www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/materials.