US hits Al Assad with new sanctions

39 Syrian individuals face economic and travel curbs

The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed new economic and travel sanction on Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, his wife, Asma, and his inner circle.

The State Department said it had designated 39 Syrian individuals, including the Assads, members of their extended family, military leaders and business executives. Many were already subject to US sanctions, but the penalties also target non-Syrians who do business with them.

Separately, the Treasury Department said it has imposed penalties on 24 individuals, companies and government agencies supporting Al Assad.

‘US behaving like bandits’

Syria’s foreign ministry said the measures were a violation of international law and showed that US officials were behaving like “gangs and bandits”. The Al Assad government also accused the US of hypocrisy in light of the domestic unrest across America.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the designations represent “the beginning of what will be a sustained campaign of economic and political pressure to deny the Al Assad regime revenue and support it uses to wage war and commit mass atrocities against the Syrian people”.

Among those newly designated were Al Assad’s sister Bushra, his brother Maher and his wife Manal, Mohammad Hamsho — the head of the Damascus Chamber of Commerce, his wife Rania Al Dabbas, his son Ahmad, and Gassan Ali, a right-hand man of Maher Assad and Samer Al Dana, who are leaders of the Syrian military’s Fourth Division.

Al Assad government accused the US of hypocrisy in light of the domestic unrest across America.