EU issues sanctions over Alawite killings in Syria
The proposal for punitive measures had been made on March 17 by Jean-Noel Barrot, the French Foreign Minister. The names of the two people and three entities sanctioned have yet to be published.
A series of attacks by pro-government militias on the Alawite and Druze minorities has rocked Syria in recent months.
Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio blamed the renewed violence on the legacy of Bashar Al Assad, Syria's former president who is Alawite and was a largely secular leader. "They are dealing with deep internal distrust in that country, because Assad deliberately pitted these groups against each other," Mr Rubio said after meeting Syria's transitional leaders.
The EU council extended the list of individuals and entities linked to the Assad regime until June 1. It also adopted legal acts formalising a decision to lift economic sanctions on Syria, one week after EU foreign ministers agreed to do so.
The council removed 24 entities from the EU list of those in Syria subject to thefreezing of funds and economic resources. They include the central bank and other institutions expected to play a vital role in Syria's economic recovery.
"This decision is simply the right thing to do, at this historic time, for the EU to genuinely support Syria's recovery and a political transition that fulfils the aspirations of all Syrians," a statement by the EU's foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday.
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