Syrian Civil War: US Enforces Caesar Act Against Assad Government
US Syria sanctions under the Caesar Act straightly target Assad’s family and Syrian government officials aimed at deterring foreign business activity in Syria.
After the onset of the Syrian Civil War, relations between Syria and the United States are currently non-existent; they were suspended in 2012.
The Syrian civil war began on 15 March, 2011, causing major unrest in Damascus and Aleppo following the fight between the Syrian Arab Republic, which is led by President Bashar al-Assad and its international allies. Assad’s is a loose alliance of mostly, Sunni opposition rebel groups such as, the Free Syrian Army, Salafi jihadist groups including al-Nusra Front, the mixed Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), with a number of countries in the region directly involved or providing support to one or the other faction (Iran, Russia, Turkey, the United States, etc).
Syrian civil war is currently the second deadliest wars of the 21st century. More than 380,000 people have been killed so far and other 11 million have been displaced since the uprising against Mr. Assad began in 2011.
On 17 June 2020, the US Syria sanctions were imposed on the Assad regime, aimed at deterring foreign business activity with the Syrian President’s government and prevent it from securing a military victory. The sanctions imposed under Caesar law Syria 2020, directly targeted a couple of entities including, the Assad family, Syrian government officials, and other international entities aiding the Assad government.
Press Statement of Michael R. Pompeo (@SecPompeo), Secretary of State
Twitter:
On 17 June 2020, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations- Kelly Craft (@USAmbUN) told the Security Council :
What Do the US Syria Sanctions Target?
Under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act that Congress passed in December, President Donald Trump has the power to sanction anyone in the world who conducts business with the official Syrian government. The Caesar law Syria 2020 is named after a military photographer codenamed “Caesar” who came from Syria with 52,275 images of torture and death from inside the Syrian civil war prisons.
The US has imposed sanctions on Syria for decades, but they were extended in 2011 to press the government to end its bloody crackdown on its opponents. The chief form of sanctioning results in Syria’s inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. These include legislatively mandated penalties such as, export sanctions and ineligibility to receive most forms of U.S. aid or to purchase U.S. military equipment.
Since 2011 Syrian civil war, the Assad regime has committed innumerable atrocities against Syrians, including arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence, and murder. These despicable acts have devastated the country’s people, besides destruction of infrastructure and economy, causing the displacement of more than half of Syria’s population.
These US Syria sanctions are to compel the government of Bashar al-Assad to halt its murderous attacks on the Syrian people and to support a transition to a government in Syria that respects the human rights law, and peaceful co-existence with its neighbors.
Effects on Civilians
The US Syria sanctions have devastated the Syrian population day by day. According to U.N. statistics, more than 80% of Syrians live below the poverty line, and half of the country’s pre-war population has fled the country. Many Syrians have been demonstrating recently, demanding the country’s collapsed economy be fixed.
Russia and China criticized the US. plan to impose further unilateral sanctions.
Syrian Government’s Reaction
According to the state news agency, Sana, sources from the Syrian foreign ministry said that the US Syria sanctions violated international law, and accused officials in Washington of behaving like a “gang”.
According to the Sources,
