Home › Circulars › RBI/2025-26/97

UNSC Delists Two Individuals from ISIL/Al-Qaida Sanctions List

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2025-26/97 · issued 14 Nov 2025 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI directs all regulated entities to update their records as the UNSC has removed Ahmed al-Sharaa and Anas Hasan Khattab from the ISIL/Al-Qaida sanctions list. Entities must comply with UAPA Section 51A and KYC master direction procedures.
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
How it plays out — a real example

A KYC & compliance officer in Indore, Priya, receives the RBI circular about the UNSC delisting. She immediately logs into her bank's system and removes Ahmed al-Sharaa and Anas Hasan Khattab from the internal sanctions screening list. Then, she checks if any customer accounts were frozen because of these two names and starts the process to unfreeze them, following her bank's legal procedures.

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

Who it affects

All scheduled commercial banks, Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), Payment system operators, Other regulated entities under RBI's purview

❓ Common questions

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.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2025-26/97 DOR.AML.REC.61/14.06.001/2025-26 November 14, 2025 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: Delisting of 02 Entries Please refer to paragraph 51 of the RBI Master Direction on Know Your Customer dated February 25, 2016 as amended on August 14, 2025 (MD on KYC), in terms of which “ Regulated Entities ( REs) shall ensure that in terms of Section 51A of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act, 1967 and amendments thereto, 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), Government of India has informed about the UNSC press release SC/16214 dated November 06, 2025 wherein the Security Council Committee has decided to remove two individuals from its Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions list. 2.1 The Committee recalling its previous resolutions on the Syrian Arab Republic and those relating to the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions regime, including 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011), 2178 (2014), 2253 (2015), 2368 (2017), 2396 (2017), 2462 (2019), 2664 (2022), 2734 (2024), and 2761 (2024), as well as the main principles and objectives embodied in its resolution 2254 (2015), adopted Resolution 2799 (2025) under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations: Deciding that Ahmed al-Sharaa, included on the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List as Ahmad Hussain Al-Sharaa (QDi.317), and Anas Hasan Khattab (QDi.336) are delisted from the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List. 3. Press release dated November 06, 2025 regarding the above can be found at https://press.un.org/en/2025/sc16214.doc.htm The details of the sanction measures and exemptions are available at the following URL: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267#further_information 4. In view of the above, REs are advised to take appropriate action in terms of paragraph 51 of the MD on KYC and strictly follow the procedure as laid down in the UAPA Order dated February 02, 2021 (amended on April 22, 2024) annexed to the MD on KYC. 5. 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 6. Further, as per the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), any request for de-listing received by any 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 7. REs are advised to take note of the aforementioned UNSC communications and ensure meticulous compliance. Yours faithfully, (Veena Srivastava) Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2025-26/97 · issued 14 Nov 2025. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
🧰 Tools — save, print, templates & related
Most relevant forKYC / AML AnalystCompliance TeamBranch Operations (Accounts / FD / CASA)Branch Manager — Private Bank / SFBBranch Manager — PSU / Co-op / RRB (sanctioning powers)Internal Audit
🛠 Banker’s toolkit — checklists & reply templates →
Related circulars · Department of Regulation
SFB Pillar 3 Disclosure Norms Aligned with BaselUCB Deposit Rate Disclosure & Uniformity Rules UpdatedLAB Deposit Rate Disclosure & Uniformity Rules TightenedPayments Banks: Interest Rates Must Match Disclosed ScheduleRBI Updates Bulk Deposit Rate Rules and Disclosure Timing
Browse all departments →
Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All scheduled commercial banks, Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), Payment system operators, Other regulated entities under RBI's purview), your first concrete step on “UNSC Delists Two Individuals from ISIL/Al-Qaida Sanctions List” is: “Update your internal sanctions screening databases to remove the two delisted individuals: Ahmed al-Sharaa and Anas Hasan Khattab.” (RBI issued this 14 Nov 2025).

  1. Circular: RBI/2025-26/97 -- UNSC Delists Two Individuals from ISIL/Al-Qaida Sanctions List
  2. Issued: 14 Nov 2025
  3. Action required: Update your internal sanctions screening databases to remove the two delisted individuals: Ahmed al-Sharaa and Anas Hasan Khattab.
  4. Action required: Review and unfreeze any accounts or assets that were frozen solely due to their inclusion in the UNSC sanctions list, following legal procedures.
  5. Action required: Ensure your compliance team is aware of the updated UNSC list and the procedure for handling delisting requests as per MHA instructions.
  6. Action required: Continue to regularly check the official UNSC sanctions list URLs provided in the circular for any further changes.
  7. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  8. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  9. 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.

💬 Banker Discussion

Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.

Loading comments…
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=12922&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.
Public beta — plain-English informational summaries. Always verify against the official RBI source (circular number cited on every page) before making compliance, credit, treasury, audit, or operational decisions. · Join our WhatsApp channel ↗
—