US Congress to repeal Caesar Act sanctions on Syria, document shows

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US Congress is set to repeal Caesar Act sanctions on Syria, according to a document showing the provision included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.

The legislation would remove restrictions designed to punish the now-deposed regime of Bashar al-Assad for war crimes.

"The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019...is hereby repealed," the draft document states.

The bill requires approval from the House of Representatives before becoming law.

Enacted in 2019, the Caesar Act imposed sweeping secondary sanctions blocking US and foreign entities from engaging with Syria's government or reconstruction, targeting Assad's human rights abuses and chemical weapons use.