BRUSSELS – The European Union imposed sanctions on individuals and groups involved in violent incidents in Syria’s coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia in March, while simultaneously enacting a decision to lift most of its economic sanctions on Damascus.
The EU targeted Mohammad Hussein al-Jassem, known as “Abu Amsha”, and Saif Bulad, known as Abu Bakr, both commanders in the Syrian National Army (SNA), a coalition of opposition groups backed by Turkey. Also sanctioned were three SNA factions: the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division, Hamza Division, and Sultan Murad Division.
Read also: EU’s Lifting of Sanctions on Syria Welcomed Internationally
Abu Amsha, the commander of the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division, has been previously sanctioned by the United States for serious human rights abuses, including forced displacement, illegal property seizures, and torture in the Kurdish-majority region of Afrin.
Saif Bulad, a senior figure in the Hamza Division, has faced similar allegations and was linked to the 2019 killing of Kurdish politician Havrin Khalaf, a high-profile assassination that drew international condemnation.
Despite their records, both men were recently appointed to senior positions in the newly formed Defense Ministry under the Syrian transitional government.
In a statement, the EU said the measures were in response to “serious human rights violations and abuses” committed during the unrest in the coastal cities, and affirmed its commitment to accountability and justice for victims.
Separately, the bloc announced it had lifted the bulk of its economic sanctions on Syria, except for those tied to “security concerns.” According to the EU, the internal and external networks of the Syrian regime have not been dismantled and continue to pose a threat to regional stability and the country’s political transition.
Read also: Reuters: Syria Plans to Print a New Currency in Germany and the UAE
Despite the easing of economic restrictions, individuals and entities linked to the Assad government will remain under targeted sanctions, the EU said, citing their potential role in financing or supporting actions that obstruct political progress.
Earlier, EU diplomats confirmed that all 27 member states had reached a preliminary agreement to lift economic sanctions, in what was described as an effort to support Syria’s recovery following years of conflict and the removal of former President Bashar al-Assad, according to Agence France-Presse.
