US to lift sanctions on Syria: Trump to sign executive order, says White House

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters the US will keep sanctions on former president Bashar al-Assad, his close associates, and individuals linked to human rights abuses, drug trafficking, chemical weapons, the Islamic State, and Iranian-backed groups.

“The sanctions will stay on people involved in serious crimes and terrorist activity,” Leavitt said, according to Reuters. “He’s committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified and at peace with itself and its neighbours.”

Syria’s new government has begun restoring international ties since Assad was ousted in December following a rapid offensive by Islamist-led rebels. Although the country remains unstable, some US lawmakers are calling for all sanctions to be lifted. The European Union has already ended its own sanctions programme.

In May, after Trump’s announcement, the US Treasury issued a general licence allowing transactions with Syria’s interim government, the central bank, and state-owned companies. Humanitarian groups and investors hope the easing of sanctions will encourage aid work, trade, and investment.

Still, the US maintains several layers of sanctions, some of which are based on laws such as the Caesar Act. Fully removing these would require legislative action.

Most US sanctions on Syria were first imposed in 2011, targeting Assad’s government after the outbreak of civil war.

A Reuters investigation published on Monday reported that Syrian government forces were involved in the killing of more than 1,500 Alawite civilians in coastal areas in March. The Trump administration has not commented on the report, and it is not clear whether any groups mentioned are included in the sanctions being lifted.