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The Hill
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump signs order dismantling decades of Syria sanctions
President Trump on Monday signed an executive order dismantling a series of sanctions on Syria, providing more relief to the new authorities in Damascus which overthrew Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad late last year. The administration said its lifting the sanctions without conditions, but hopes the move to end Syria's isolation in global financial markets will encourage the government headed by the U.S.-designated terrorist Ahmed al-Sharaa to fulfill a number of criteria related to countering terrorism, integrating the Syrian Kurdish forces, respect for minorities, and establishing ties with Israel. 'Neither the president nor the secretary of State are nation building, they're not dictating,' said Ambassador to the Republic of Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack. 'They're not requiring, they're not giving the framework of the democratic model that needs to be implemented to their architectural desire. They're saying we're going to give you an opportunity.' The move was welcomed by the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a non-governmental organization that has worked to track war crimes in Syria by Assad and his forces and advocate for lifting sanctions on the country under the new government. 'We are proud of this amazing achievement and grateful for Ambassador Thomas Barrack, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and President Donald Trump for giving Syria a chance at democracy,' SETF's Advocacy Director, Veronica Zanetta-Brandoni said in a statement. 'It is now the responsibility of the new Syrian government to ensure safety and security, the transition to democracy, and economic prosperity for all Syrians.' The SETF said the administration's move continues efforts to hold Assad accountable. 'We are pleased to see commitment to accountability for the crimes committed by the Assad regime and by the terrorists of ISIS. This means helping the Syrians gather and analyze the documents and excavate the mass graves to determine the fate of more than 100,000 missing persons, including Americans Austin Tice and Dr. Majd Kamalmaz, and to lay the groundwork for trials of the major perpetrators,' said former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice and SETF's Board Member Ambassador Stephen J. Rapp. Trump announced during a speech in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 13 that he was lifting sanctions on Syria and blasted 'interventionists' and 'neocons' as wrecking 'far more nations than they built.' Brad Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Department of the Treasury, said the administration reserves the right to re-impose sanctions on Syria if it feels its actions are harming U.S. interests or violating criteria laid out. Sanctions will remain on Assad and officials sanctioned for human rights abuses, corruption, terrorism and other violations. 'While we remain hopeful for the country's future and its new government, we are also clear eyed that threats to peace remain,' Smith said in a briefing with reporters previewing the president's EO. 'The United States will remain ever vigilant where our interests and security are threatened, and Treasury will not hesitate to use our authorities to protect U.S. and international financial systems.' A senior administration official, speaking on background under the terms of agreement for the call with reporters, said that Trump is not interested in using sanctions as leverage against Syria to pressure establishing ties with Israel and joining the Abraham Accords, the 2020 agreement that brokered ties between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. 'The way to entice them to get to the Abraham Accords is to make it fruitful for them on an economic basis, on a civilization basis, on a peace and prosperity basis, and that's all coming together,' the official said. In response to a question related to Israel's control of the Golan Heights, which it seized from Syria during the Six-Day-War in 1967, the official described the borders currently in the Middle East as an 'illusion.' Trump, in his first term, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, while much of the international community refers to it as occupied. Israel seized additional Syrian territory near its border following the fall of Assad. The status of that territory could be a component of a peace deal between Jerusalem and Damascus. 'The lines that were drawn at 1948 and 1926 and 1967 and 1974 are all illusions,' the official said, saying they were 'based on facts that were there at the time.' 'It doesn't matter what the line is, if you don't trust each other on the other side of the line, that's going to continue forever,' the official said. Trump's executive order will begin to unravel decades of layered sanctions against Syria. The country was designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1979, although the State Department did not immediately return a request for comment if that designation would be lifted. A fact sheet provided by the White House said that the Secretary of State will review Syria's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. The secretary will also review the sanctions designation of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham's (HTS) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization – the group that overthrew Assad. But Trump's order will terminate the 2004 national emergency declaration related to Syria, and revoke five executive orders that constitute the basis of that program. 'The EO will also direct certain actions with respect to waivers of applicable statutory sanctions, export controls and other restrictions,' a second senior administration official described to reporters on a call providing background of the president's actions. The sanctions lifting will allow international transactions and communications to take place with the Syrian government and state-owned entities, like the Central Bank and other financial institutions. The U.S. began imposing a number of layered sanctions on Syria in response to the outbreak of the civil war in that country in 2011 and responding to evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly carried out by the Assad regime. Assad is currently in exile in Russia. 'The second part of the EO is that it contains provisions that will ensure that sanctions remain on Assad, his cronies and other destabilizing regional actors, including terrorists, as well as those that proliferate weapons of mass destruction, in addition to counter narcotics,' the second official said.
Observer
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Syrian authorities announce closure of notorious desert camp
DAMASCUS: A notorious desert refugee camp in Syria has closed after the last remaining families returned to their areas of origin, Syrian authorities said on Saturday. The Rukban camp in Syria's desert was established in 2014, at the height of Syria's civil war, in a de-confliction zone controlled by the US-led coalition fighting the IS group, near the borders with Jordan and Iraq. Desperate people fleeing IS gunmen and former government bombardment sought refuge there, hoping to cross into Jordan. Former Syrian President Bashar al Assad's government rarely allowed aid to enter the camp and neighbouring countries closed their borders to the area, isolating Rukban for years. After an offensive toppled Assad in December, families started leaving the camp to return home. The Syrian Emergency Task Force, a US-based organisation, said on Friday that the camp was "officially closed and empty, all families and residents have returned to their homes". Syrian Information Minister Hamza al Mustafa said on X on Saturday that "with the dismantlement of the Rukban camp and the return of the displaced, a tragic and sorrowful chapter of displacement stories created by the bygone regime's war machine comes to a close". "Rukban was not just a camp, it was the triangle of death that bore witness to the cruelty of siege and starvation, where the regime left people to face their painful fate in the barren desert," he added. At its peak, the camp housed more than 100,000 people. The numbers dwindled with time, especially after Jordan sealed off its side of the border and stopped regular aid deliveries in 2016. Around 8,000 people still lived there before Assad's fall, residing in mud-brick houses, with food and basic supplies smuggled in at high prices. Syrian minister for emergency situations and disasters Raed al Saleh said on X the camp's closure represents "the end of one of the harshest humanitarian tragedies faced by our displaced people". "We hope this step marks the beginning of a path that ends the suffering of the remaining camps and returns their residents to their homes with dignity and safety," he added. According to the International Organization for Migration, 1.87 million Syrians have returned to their places of origin since Assad's fall, after they were displaced within the country or abroad. The IOM says the "lack of economic opportunities and essential services pose the greatest challenge" for those returning home. Syria's interim President Ahmed al Sharaa on Friday visited the southern city of Daraa, the cradle of the country's uprising, for the first time since ousting longtime ruler Bashar al Assad almost six months ago. State news agency SANA published footage showing a cheering crowd greeting Al Sharaa, who was seen waving and shaking hands with people during the visit, which came on the Muslim holiday of Eid Al Adha. — AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Syrian Authorities Announce Closure of Notorious Desert Camp
A notorious desert refugee camp in Syria has closed after the last remaining families returned to their areas of origin, Syrian authorities said on Saturday. The Rukban camp in Syria's desert was established in 2014, at the height of Syria's civil war, in a de-confliction zone controlled by the US-led coalition fighting the ISIS group, near the borders with Jordan and Iraq. Desperate people fleeing ISIS extremists and former government bombardment sought refuge there, hoping to cross into Jordan. Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government rarely allowed aid to enter the camp and neighboring countries closed their borders to the area, isolating Rukban for years. After an opposition offensive toppled Assad in December, families started leaving the camp to return home. The Syrian Emergency Task Force, a US-based organization, said on Friday that the camp was "officially closed and empty, all families and residents have returned to their homes". Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said on X on Saturday that "with the dismantlement of the Rukban camp and the return of the displaced, a tragic and sorrowful chapter of displacement stories created by the bygone regime's war machine comes to a close". "Rukban was not just a camp, it was the triangle of death that bore witness to the cruelty of siege and starvation, where the regime left people to face their painful fate in the barren desert," he added. At its peak, the camp housed more than 100,000 people. Around 8,000 people still lived there before Assad's fall, residing in mud-brick houses, with food and basic supplies smuggled in at high prices. Syrian minister for emergency situations and disasters Raed al-Saleh said on X said the camp's closure represents "the end of one of the harshest humanitarian tragedies faced by our displaced people". "We hope this step marks the beginning of a path that ends the suffering of the remaining camps and returns their residents to their homes with dignity and safety," he added. According to the International Organization for Migration, 1.87 million Syrians have returned to their places of origin since Assad's fall, after they were displaced within the country or abroad. The IOM says the "lack of economic opportunities and essential services pose the greatest challenge" for those returning home.
Middle East Eye
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Syria closes controversial Rukban refugee camp near Jordanian border
Syrian authorities have shut down a controversial refugee camp near the Jordanian border that has long faced criticism over dire conditions for its residents. A spokesperson for the Syrian Emergency Task Force, which coordinated activity related to Rukban camp, said all those previously hosted there had returned home and the camp is now 'closed and empty'. Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said on X on Saturday that the closure of the camp, established in the early years of the Syrian civil war in 2011, marked the end of "a tragic and sorrowful chapter of displacement stories created by the bygone regime's war machine". At its height, the camp hosted as many as 100,000 inhabitants. But over time, many left due to the poor conditions, returning either to government-held areas or other parts of Syria with the help of smugglers. Numbers also dwindled after Jordan closed its border and stopped regular aid deliveries in 2016. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters With little to no aid coming in, residents lacked access to food staples, basic medical supplies and health infrastructure. They were forced to live in makeshift dwellings without access to running water or basic sanitation, while the school system was all but nonexistent. "Rukban was not just a camp, it was the triangle of death that bore witness to the cruelty of siege and starvation, where the regime left people to face their painful fate in the barren desert," added Mustafa. Armed groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham overthrew the government of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Since then, many Syrians living in exile or in camps have begun returning to their original homes, no longer fearing reprisals from Assad's government. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says around 1.87 million Syrians have returned to their places of origin since December. However, the IOM says the "lack of economic opportunities and essential services" still poses a challenge for returnees.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analysis: After meeting Trump, Syria's new leader must prove his willingness, capability
BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 16 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's unexpected approach to Syria has presented a significant opportunity for the country's interim president, Ahmad Sharaa, to prove that he can overcome the enormous challenges he faces and lead the war-torn nation toward recovery and stabilization, political analysts and experts said. Trump's announcement of the cessation of U.S. sanctions, along with his meeting with Sharaa -- a former jihadist who, until recently, was on the U.S. most-wanted list with a $10 million bounty on his head -- marked a turning point and the beginning of a new chapter for Syria nearly six months after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad and his Baathist regime. With Assad gone, the sanctions were increasingly seen as only prolonging the suffering of the Syrian people and worsening the already catastrophic humanitarian conditions. Had the sanctions remained in place, Syria would have become a failed state, as it was just weeks away from financial collapse, according to Mouaz Mustafa of the Syrian Emergency Task Force. In an interview with PBS NewsHour, Mustafa warned that continued sanctions would have led to disastrous consequences for both the region and the world. With layers of sanctions in place since 1979, the process of lifting them remains unclear, and experts say it will take time. "There is a huge difference between deciding to lift sanctions and actually lifting them," Nanar Hawach, a senior Syria analyst for the International Crisis Group, told UPI. However, he said it would be "a game-changer" for the economy, giving the green light for the private sector and other stakeholders involved in Syria to step in and "be more bold." Since taking over after Assad's ouster, Sharaa has repeatedly called for the lifting of U.S. and other international sanctions to allow his country to breathe again. He understands that without funding and financial support, there is little he can do to put Syria back on track. Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that the continuation of sanctions was hindering the country's ability to recover and move forward. Yacoubian noted that removing the sanctions would open the way for Gulf countries in particular to "do more" and channel more resources toward Syria's early recovery and stabilization, and eventually, reconstruction -- provided it is done "transparently and in a responsible way." However, Syria's problems will not be resolved simply by ending the sanctions. Sharaa is facing "very significant issues," including sectarian tensions, the need for transitional justice, and how to manage the more extreme elements of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS -- the group he led before becoming president -- as well as affiliated factions on which he continues to rely while trying to consolidate control. "So how will he use this newfound breathing space and the anticipated resources to consolidate his personal power, or rather to put Syria on a more sustainable path toward stability and, ultimately, peace?" Yacoubian asked rhetorically. She added that he will have to demonstrate a willingness to undertake complex processes related to transitional justice, inclusive governance, and national reconciliation. According to Hawach, Trump has given Sharaa "the benefit of the doubt," and the new leadership in Damascus will need to seize this opportunity to meet internal and external expectations. "How willing are they to take bold, risky steps such as distancing themselves from their radical base and expanding to include a broader range of constituencies?" he asked. "Are they prepared to take courageous actions to rein in or address the presence of foreign fighters? Would they focus on other issues, such as building institutional capacity or strengthening military capabilities?" Trump, who described Sharaa as an "attractive, tough guy," urged him to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel, expel foreign fighters from Syria, deport Palestinian militants, assist the U.S. in preventing an ISIS resurgence and take responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria. What Syrians want most is a more inclusive national dialogue and political process, the formation of a national army and measures to address the fears of minority groups. Anas Joudeh, a political researcher and founder of the Nation Building Movement in Syria, said the first step would be for Sharaa to seriously engage with all of the country's constituencies, restart the national dialogue, adopt a new constitution, and form a more inclusive government. "We can't expect things to be perfect right now," Joudeh told UPI. "We will strongly support any move toward greater inclusivity, as the country is heading toward total economic and social collapse." He said the key to Syria's successful transition is the formation of a national army, which poses a "big challenge" for Sharaa. This includes absorbing the armed factions, addressing the foreign fighters who still maintain control in several areas and convincing the Druze, Alawites and Kurds to lay down their weapons. "But that would be very difficult if Sharaa keeps on [running the country] with the same mentality," Joudeh said. Sharaa will, therefore, need to address the concerns of the Druze, Alawites and Kurds, find solutions to mitigate feelings of existential threat, impose security and, ultimately, act not as a faction leader, but as the leader of the entire country, Hawach said. "If they decide to make positive steps towards these communities, this is the perfect time to do so," he added. He explained that with the possibility of accessing much-needed funds, the country can recruit for the army, establish better command control and gain more leverage to deal with armed factions that are not yet fully under the new authorities' control. Makram Rabah, a political activist and history professor at the American University of Beirut, said Trump's meeting with Sharaa will put more pressures on him to act as a political leader. "Lifting the sanctions sent a message not only to Sharaa but also to the Druze, Kurds and Alawites: that there is political cover, a form of settlement, and a need to work together," Rabah told UPI. "However, this is far from easy."
