Syrian foreign minister targeted with UK sanctions

LONDON: Dominic Raab has condemned the “brutality” during a decade of conflict in Syria as he announced sanctions against six figures linked to Bashar Assad’s regime.

Syria’s foreign minister Faisal Miqdad was among the group of military officers and businessmen with links to the regime who were subjected to asset freezes and travel bans.They are the first measures to be taken in relation to Syria under the UK’s sanctions regime, which came into force following the end of the Brexit transition period. “The Assad regime has subjected the Syrian people to a decade of brutality for the temerity of demanding peaceful reform,” Foreign Secretary Mr Raab said.

“Today, we are holding six more individuals from the regime to account for their wholesale assault on the very citizens they should be protecting.”Those sanctioned are: foreign minister Mr Miqdad, presidential adviser Luna al-Shibl, financier Yassar Ibrahim, who the Foreign Office claimed acts as a front for Mr Assad’s hold on the Syrian economy, businessman Muhammad Bara’ al-Qatirji and military officers major general Malik Aliaa and major general Zaid Salah.