Trump to End Most Sanctions on Syria.
President Donald Trump will sign an executive order to remove many U.S. sanctions on Syria, according to a report by Reuters. The goal is to help Syria reconnect with the global financial system after years of being cut off.
This move comes after Trump’s meeting with Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in May. During that meeting in Riyadh, Trump said he would lift most sanctions to support Syria’s rebuilding efforts after the long civil war.
Sanctions Remain on Assad and Others
White House women Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. will still keep sanctions on former president Bashar al-Assad. These sanctions will also remain on his allies and anyone involved in crimes like human rights abuse, drug trafficking, and terrorism.
Leavitt explained that the U.S. is still very serious about punishing those who committed major crimes. She said Trump wants Syria to be a peaceful, united country that can live in harmony with its neighbors.
Since Assad was removed from power in December, Syria’s new government has started rebuilding ties with other countries. Even though the situation in Syria is still tense, some U.S. lawmakers believe all sanctions should now be lifted. The European Union has already ended its own sanctions.
New Licence and Hopes for Recovery
After Trump’s announcement in May, the U.S. Treasury released a general licence. This allows people and businesses to work with Syria’s interim government, central bank, and state-owned companies.
Humanitarian groups and investors are hoping this step will help bring more aid, increase trade, and boost investment in Syria. It could make it easier for people to get the help they need and for the country to recover faster.
However, not all sanctions are being removed. Some are based on laws like the Caesar Act, which makes them harder to cancel. Removing those would need new laws to be passed by the U.S. Congress.
Background and Latest Concerns
Most of the sanctions on Syria started in 2011. They were aimed at Assad’s government after the civil war began and were meant to pressure him to step down.
On Monday, Reuters also published a new investigation. It claimed that Syrian forces were involved in killing over 1,500 Alawite civilians in March. So far, the Trump administration has not responded to the report. It is unclear whether any groups involved in that event are included in the new list of sanctions being lifted.
