US urges UN Security Council to ease Syria sanctions to aid fight against terrorism
After 13 years of civil war, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December in a lightning offensive by opposition forces led by the 'Hayat Tahrir al-Sham' (HTS) group.
Formerly known as the al-Nusra Front, HTS was al-Qaeda's official wing in Syria until breaking ties in 2016. Since May 2014, the group has been on the United Nations Security Council's al-Qaeda and ISIS sanctions list and subjected to a global asset freeze and arms embargo.
A number of HTS members are also under UN sanctions – a travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo – including its leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is now Syria's president.
The United States is working with Security Council members to review Syria-related sanctions, acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea said on Monday.
'The Syrian government has made a clear commitment to combat al-Qaeda and (ISIS), and both groups are equally clear that they oppose the new government and are threatening to destroy it. Council members should not take those threats lightly,' she told a Security Council meeting on Syria.
'The Council can – and must – adjust its sanctions so the Syrian government can prevail in the fight against terrorism, while keeping the most dangerous and unrepentant actors designated,' she said.
US President Donald Trump announced a major US policy shift in May when he said he would lift US sanctions on Syria.
United Nations sanctions monitors have seen no 'active ties' this year between al-Qaeda and Syria's new government, according to an unpublished UN report, a finding that could strengthen the US push to ease some UN sanctions on Syria.
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