US seeks to ‘starve the people’ of Syria with sanctions, foreign minister says

Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said the sanctions aim to undermine support for President Bashar al-Assad and open the door for ‘terrorism’

They target anyone doing business with the Syrian government or supporting its military efforts, including reconstruction, fuel delivery and other sectors

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Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem accused the US of trying to starve his country’s people. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:50pm, 23 Jun 2020Updated: 7:50pm, 23 Jun 2020

Syria’s foreign minister accused the United States on Tuesday of “seeking to starve the people” of Syria by imposing new sanctions and opening the door for “terrorism” to return to the war-torn country.

Walid al-Moallem said the sanctions are a challenge but not impossible to overcome, and insisted that the government will be able to cope with the so-called Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act – with help from friends and allies.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government refers to armed opposition fighting it as “terrorism”. The legislation known as the Caesar Act was named after the pseudonym of a Syrian policeman who turned over photographs of thousands of victims of torture by the Assad government.

“The challenges are not easy,” Moallem said. “We have already started taking measures to counter these sanctions.”

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pictured in 2015. Photo: AP

The latest US sanctions are the most severe yet against Syria, set to target any individual or entity doing business with the Syrian government or supporting its military efforts, including reconstruction, fuel delivery and other sectors. Businessmen close to the Syrian government were added to the sanctions list under the new measures.

The US State Department and Treasury also added the names of Assad, his wife and relatives to the sanctions list, tightening the noose around the inner circle of the ruling family. More names are expected to be announced this summer.