UPDATE - US rolls out sanctions campaign against Syrian regime

UPDATED WITH MORE DETAILS

By Vakkas Dogantekin

ANKARA (AA) - The US on Wednesday announced a new campaign of "sustained sanctions" against the Syrian regime and its allies.

Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, said "severe economic sanctions" under the Caesar Act aimed to hold the Bashar al-Assad regime and its enablers accountable for brutal acts against Syrians who have suffered the worst of the decade-long civil war.

"Today we begin a sustained campaign of sanctions against the Assad regime under the Caesar Act, which authorizes severe economic sanctions to hold the Assad regime and its foreign enablers accountable for their brutal acts against the Syrian people," Pompeo said on Twitter.

"Many more sanctions will come until Assad and his regime stop their needless, brutal war and agree to a political solution as called for by UNSCR 2254," he added, referring to a 2015 UN Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire and political settlement in Syria.

Last December US President Donald Trump signed a Syria sanctions bill as part of the 2020 defense budget.

The bill, officially known as the Caesar Syrian Civilian Protection Act of 2019, authorizes additional sanctions and financial restrictions on institutions and individuals that have commercial ties with the Syrian regime.

The act is named after a Syrian military photographer who leaked tens of thousands of gruesome images that showed 11,000 victims systematically tortured to death by the government.

The photographs showed evidence of starvation, beating, strangulation, and other forms of torture.

- New sanctions

In an effort to punish anyone doing business with the Assad regime, the top US diplomat said in a later statement the regime’s accomplices are "potentially exposed to travel restrictions and financial sanctions."

Pompeo released 39 new designations by the US Treasury and State departments, which are effective immediately under the Caesar Act and Executive Order 13894.

The US has designated for sanctions the "architect of suffering" Bashar Al-Assad and his wife Asma al-Assad as well as "funder of these atrocities Mohammed Hamsho and Iranian militia Fatemiyoun Division."

It has further designated Maher al-Assad, along with his Fourth Division of the Syrian Arab Army and its leadership Ghassan Ali Bilal and Samer al-Dana. Lastly, the US designated Bushra al-Assad, Manal al-Assad, Ahmad Sabir Hamsho, Amr Hamsho, Ali Hamsho, Rania al-Dabbas, and Sumaia Hamcho.

"We will continue this campaign in the coming weeks and months to target individuals and businesses that support the Assad regime and obstruct a peaceful, political resolution of the conflict as called for by UNSCR 2254," Pompeo's statement added.

- Assad's wife 'war profiteer'

Pompeo made a special note of the designation for the first time of Bashar al-Assad’s wife Asma al-Assad. He accused her and her Akhras family of being "notorious war profiteers."

"Now anyone doing business with any of these persons or entities is at risk of sanctions," he added.

Pompeo said "full cooperation with other like-minded nations, especially our European partners, who only three weeks ago renewed their own sanctions against the Assad regime," will continue.