
UK lifts sanctions on Syria, says country deserves chance to rebuild economy
The UK government has said it is lifting sanctions against a dozen Syrian entities, including government departments and media outlets, to help the country rebuild after President Bashar al-Assad was toppled in a lightning rebel offensive in December.
The UK had put the sanctions in place against those who supported Assad's repressive rule, helped violently suppress civilians and spread misinformation.
"The Syrian people deserve the opportunity to rebuild their country and economy and a stable Syria is in the UK's national interest," Hamish Falconer, minister for the Middle East, said in a statement.
Syria's new leaders have struggled to begin rebuilding the country's decimated economy and infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war.
The new authorities in Damascus have made a push for harsh sanctions imposed by western countries on Assad's government to be lifted, with limited success.
Syrians commemorate the seventh anniversary of a chemical attack in the town of Douma, 7 April, 2025
AP Photo
Financial sanctions and asset freezes were lifted on several government agencies, including the ministries of interior and defence, the UK Foreign Office said.
Sanctions were also dropped against the General Organization of Radio and TV, a state-run agency that allegedly spread propaganda for Assad and incited violence against civilians.
The Foreign Office said it also lifted sanctions against Al Watan, a newspaper, Cham Press TV, and Sama TV, for spreading misinformation.
Sanctions imposed against al-Assad and associates remain in place and legislation was amended to allow the former leader and others to be held accountable for atrocities committed against Syrians.
In March, the UK dropped sanctions against two dozen Syrian businesses, mostly banks and oil companies.
The Trump administration has yet to formally recognise the new Syrian government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, an Islamist former insurgent who led the offensive that ousted al-Assad.
Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa during a press conference in Ankara, 4 February, 2025
AP Photo
The militant group al-Sharaa led, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), remains a US-designated terrorist organisation and the sanctions imposed on Damascus under al-Assad remain in place.
However, Washington has eased some restrictions.
In January, the US Treasury issued a general licence, lasting six months, that authorises certain transactions with the Syrian government, including some energy sales and incidental transactions.
The European Union, meanwhile, has begun to ease some energy and transport sanctions and banking restrictions against Syria, suspending measures targeting oil, gas and electricity as well as transport, including the aviation sector.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Euronews
4 hours ago
- Euronews
Thailand declares martial law in eight districts bordering Cambodia
Thailand declared martial law in eight districts bordering Cambodia on Friday as a dispute between the two neighbours continues to worsen. "Martial law is now in effect" in seven districts of Chanthaburi and one district of Trat, commander of the Border Defence Command, Apichart Sapprasert, said in a statement. The declaration was made to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the lives and property of Thai citizens, the statement also said. Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have hit their lowest point in more than a decade, with both sides trading fire and air strikes since Thursday and tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border moving away from the conflict zone. The UN Security Council said it would hold an emergency meeting to discuss the escalating crisis later on Friday. Over 58,000 people fled their homes from four affected Thai border provinces and sought refuge in temporary shelters, the Thai Health Ministry said on Friday. Meanwhile, local authorities in Cambodia said more than 4,000 were evacuated from areas near the border. The two sides fired small arms, artillery and rockets at each other, which Thailand said killed one Thai soldier and 13 civilians and wounded at least 14 soldiers and 32 civilians. Cambodia reported its first death from the fighting on Friday. Thailand has also launched airstrikes at Cambodia, reportedly involving one of its six US-made F-16 fighter jets. The fighting began on Thursday morning close to the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple, beside the border between Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. It comes after months of heightened tensions between the neighbours, following the death of a Cambodian soldier in a border skirmish in May. The Thai army said six armed Cambodian soldiers opened fire near one of its military stations on Thursday, while Cambodia blamed Thailand for causing the latest clashes. In a statement published on Thursday, Cambodia's foreign ministry said it "condemns in the strongest possible terms this reckless and hostile act by Thailand," urging its neighbour to cease hostilities. Thailand's foreign ministry also issued a similar message, in which it encouraged Cambodia to bring the flare-up to an end. "The Royal Thai Government calls upon Cambodia to take responsibility for the incidents that have occurred, cease attacks against civilian and military targets, and stop all actions that violate Thailand's sovereignty," it said. Both Cambodia and Thailand have downgraded diplomatic relations since Wednesday, with Cambodia recalling its diplomatic staff and expelling the Thai ambassador on Thursday. Thailand also sealed all land border crossings with Cambodia, following a land mine blast on Wednesday that injured five Thai soldiers, one of whom lost a leg. Thai authorities claim that Cambodian troops have recently laid mines in previously safe areas, something Cambodia strongly rejects, saying that they are the legacy of old wars and unrest. There have also been major political consequences in Thailand, with former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended from office last month after making what critics saw as a disparaging comment about her country's military in a phone call to Cambodia's former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who leaked a recording of it. The border dispute between the two countries started more than a century ago, following the end of France's occupation of Cambodia.

LeMonde
8 hours ago
- LeMonde
French court annuls arrest warrant against Bashar al-Assad
France's highest court Friday, July 25, annulled a French arrest warrant against Syria's ex-president Bashar al-Assad over deadly 2013 chemical attacks issued before his ouster. The Court of Cassation ruled there were no exceptions to presidential immunity, even for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. But its presiding judge, Christophe Soulard, added that, as Assad was now no longer president after an Islamist-led group toppled him in December, "new arrest warrants could have been, or can be, issued against him" and as such the investigation into the case could continue.


France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
Tour de France: Last chance for Vingegaard in final Alpine clash
02:48 25/07/2025 French plan to recognise Palestinian state draws fire from Israel, US France 25/07/2025 Macron defies Israeli and US opposition to French plan to recognize Palestine at the United Nations France 25/07/2025 US 'strongly rejects' French plan to recognise Palestine, Saudis hail 'historic decision' France 25/07/2025 France records more deaths than births France 25/07/2025 French President Macron says France will recognize Palestine as a state France 24/07/2025 Macrons sue Candace Owens over claims that Brigitte Macron is a man France 20/07/2025 Palais de la découverte: Scientists say this historic museum could be shut down France 20/07/2025 France: Winemakers exploring new markets in non-alcoholic sector France