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US Eases Humanitarian Aid Restrictions to Syria, Expresses Caution Over New Leadership
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The United States announced on Monday a relaxation of restrictions on humanitarian aid to Syria, signaling a limited show of support for the new transitional government, although it has not removed the severe sanctions that have long choked the country.
This move allows the U.S. to engage in certain financial transactions with the Syrian government, such as energy sales, and facilitates the work of humanitarian organizations in providing essential services like water and electricity, according to a Department of the Treasury statement. However, these measures are temporary, valid for six months and could be revoked if conditions on the ground change.
The Treasury’s undersecretary, Wally Adeyemo, emphasized the opportunity for Syria and its people to rebuild under a new regime, following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government on December 8. "The brutal regime of Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, offers a unique chance for Syria and its people to rebuild their country," he said in a statement.
The U.S. has softened some sanctions since the Assad regime’s fall, with the Biden administration removing a $10 million reward for Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the powerful Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir Sham (HTS), on December 20.
The new transitional Syrian government, which includes HTS, seeks international recognition to legitimatize its authority. However, both the U.S. and the U.N. continue to designate HTS as a terrorist organization.
Key figures in the new government, including interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, have called for an end to U.S. sanctions. In a visit to Qatar on Sunday, al-Shaibani urged the U.S. to lift sanctions against the Syrian people to facilitate rebuilding and improve living conditions.
The U.S. remains cautious, maintaining most sanctions imposed during the 13-year-long Syrian civil war and demanding guarantees from the new government to protect women’s rights and the diverse religious and ethnic minorities in the country.
Last December, al-Jolani met with U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Barbara Leaf, marking the first U.S. diplomatic contact with Syria since al-Assad’s ouster. Despite this engagement, HTS’s terrorist designation persists, complicating the new government’s quest for international acceptance.
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