U.S. sanctions three Afghan financiers for Taliban

The Treasury's action under a presidential executive order bans Americans from any transactions with the individuals and seeks to freeze any assets that they may have under U.S. jurisdiction.

Added to the Treasury's terrorism blacklist were Gul Agha Ishakzai, identified as a childhood friend and financial adviser to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar; Amir Abdullah, a senior Taliban treasurer; and Nasiruddin Haqqani, a leader of the Haqqani Network, an insurgent group allied with the Taliban and believed to have close links to al Qaeda.

"Today's designation of three senior leaders and financiers for the Taliban and its affiliated Haqqani Network build upon Treasury's longstanding efforts to deprive these extremists of the resources they need to execute their violent activities," said Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

All three of the individuals were added to a United Nations sanctions list earlier this week, the Treasury said.

(Reporting by David Lawder, Editing by Sandra Maler)