On Tuesday, the United States issued new sanctions related to Syria and terrorism, according to a notice on the US Treasury Department’s website.
According to Reuters, the notice stated that the sanctions target 6 individuals, 12 entities, and two ships.
The Associated Press reported that the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 11 individuals and entities accused of facilitating financial transfers to the Syrian government to help it avoid sanctions and being involved in smuggling the highly addictive amphetamine called Captagon, which has become a thriving industry in the war-torn country.
Among the individuals on the list is Taher Kayali, the owner of one of the ships that was carrying more than $100 million worth of Captagon and hashish, which was intercepted by the Greek authorities in 2018.
The list also included Mahmoud Abu Laila, after he was convicted of drug smuggling in Libya, the (DJ) company that provided services to the Assad regime, the (Al-Tayer) and (Free Bird) companies, the (Maya) exchange company, and the (Al-Fadil) and (Al-Adham) exchange companies.
At the same time, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Syria-based exchange company Maya, as well as Alexei Makarov, vice president of the Russian Financial Cooperation Bank, and Muhammad Ali Al-Manla of the Central Bank of Syria, who used the exchange company to make payments to a “Jordanian beneficiary.”
The Ministry also imposed sanctions on STG Logistics, a company specialized in mining, which signed a contract in 2018 with the Assad regime for a period of 50 years.
Sanctions were imposed on Green’s Middle East Trading Company and its CEO, Yavi David, for their work as an intermediary for STF Logistics, the company’s headquarters are located in Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.
In a separate context, the United States imposed sanctions on an exchange company and a group of companies in 6 countries involved in shipments of goods and commercial transactions that benefit the Iranian army, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on 6 companies, two carriers, and an exchange company, all of which are either based in or registered in Liberia, India, Vietnam, Lebanon, or Kuwait, and are accused of providing material benefits to Iran, the Houthis, and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah and the Houthis have launched regular attacks since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and these attacks have raised international fears that the war in the Palestinian Strip may extend to the rest of the Middle East.
Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces exchange fire on an almost daily basis along the southern border of Lebanon
Hezbollah confirms that it will not stop firing rockets at northern Israel until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen, who control much of northern and western Yemen, are launching drones and missiles at ships in the Red Sea, which they say is an attempt to pressure Israel to end its aggression.
Despite US-led air strikes over the past two months, they have continued their campaign.
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