UK imposes new sanctions on 2 members of Syria regime

The UK government yesterday announced new sanctions against the Syrian regime’s defence minister and the head of the Syrian armed forces over accusations of sexual abuse.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said Syria’s Defence Minister, Ali Mahmoud Abbas, and Chief of the General Staff of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces, Abdel Karim Mahmoud Ibrahim, would be subject to asset freezes and travel bans.

The statement said Abbas has a “commanding role of the Syrian military and armed forces, who have systematically used rape, and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence against civilians.”

Meanwhile, General Ibrahim has been involved in the repression of the Syrian population through commanding military forces where there has been systematic use of rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence.

The UK government said this action on International Day for Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict demonstrates the UK’s commitment to hold offenders to account.

According to the government, the UK is working with partners to support countries around the world to strengthen their compliance with international law on Conflict Related Sexual Violence.

The United States has recently imposed new sanctions on six senior figures in the Syrian regime, including two relatives of President Bashar Al-Assad, for their role in manufacturing and exporting the narcotic Captagon pills.

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