US Slaps More Sanctions on Assad

The United States on Tuesday imposed a string of fresh sanctions on individuals and financial institutions linked to the Syrian regime in its ongoing attempt to cripple President Bashar Assad’s administration. The latest batch of penalties includes Syria’s central bank and nine other business entities, along with Assad’s wife and her family, his senior adviser, a member of the Syrian parliament, and the country’s military intelligence chief. “The US will continue to seek accountability for those prolonging this conflict,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said after the sanctions were announced. Tuesday’s round of blacklisting will build on earlier sanctions slapped by Washington on Damascus, in hopes of forcing the brutal regime into peace talks and ending Syria’s decade long civil war. Hundreds of thousands have died and millions have either been displaced within Syria or fled the country since the violent 2011 anti-protest crackdown by the Russian-backed ruler sparked the conflict.