UK Lifts Sanctions on Syrian Interior and Defense Ministries After Assad’s Ouster
Britain removes asset freezes on key Syrian institutions following regime change, as new leadership seeks Western recognition and end to international sanctions.
Watan-The British government announced on Thursday that it has lifted sanctions imposed on Syria’s Interior and Defense Ministries under the rule of Bashar al-Assad.
A statement from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation noted that “the following entities have been removed from the sanctions list and are no longer subject to asset freezes: the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense.”
Sanctions were also lifted on several media groups and intelligence agencies. This comes as Syria’s new leadership has reportedly dissolved the security apparatuses associated with the Assad era.
The memorandum stated that the entities previously targeted by sanctions had “been involved (in the past) in the repression of civilians in Syria… (or) in supporting or benefiting from the Syrian regime.”
Syria’s new government is seeking to convince Western powers that the jihadist roots of the opposition factions that ousted Assad in December are now a thing of the past, and that international sanctions on Syria should be lifted.
