[JURIST] US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley [official Twitter] stated to reporters on Monday that the US will continue to take action to sanction terrorists through the UN Security Council [official website], despite other countries utilizing their veto power. Haley did not name China, but her comments come in the midst of India’s ongoing efforts to sanction Masood Azhar despite China’s repeated vetoes [Times of India reports]. Azhar is the head of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, which is a jihadist group in Kashmir. Haley became the UN Ambassador after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, and the US assumes the role [press release] of President of the Security Council for the month of April per a rotating schedule.

Strategic voting and use of the veto power of the P5 nations on the Security Council has been utilized frequently in recent years. In December the Security Council passed [JURIST report] a resolution which establishes that Israeli settlements in Palestine have no legal validity, but the US notably abstained from the vote. In October the Security Council failed to adopt [JURIST report] two measures to immediately cease airstrikes and military bombardment missions in Syria due to Russia’s veto. In July of 2015 Russia vetoed [JURIST report] a UN Security Council resolution that would have created a new tribunal to prosecute those involved in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in the Ukraine in July 2014.