Mon Dec 09 18:26:21 UTC 2024: ## US Sanctions Assad’s Father-in-Law Following Dictator’s Reported Flight to Russia
**Washington, D.C. –** The United States has imposed sanctions on Fawaz al-Akhras, the father-in-law of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a day after Assad reportedly fled to Russia amidst a rebel takeover of Damascus. The move marks a significant escalation in the international response to the end of the Assad regime’s five-decade rule, which concluded with a bloody civil war that claimed an estimated 500,000 lives and displaced half the Syrian population.
Al-Akhras, a dual Syrian and UK national with a medical background, was sanctioned for allegedly providing support to Assad in financial matters, sanctions evasion, and attempts to secure international political engagement. The Treasury Department stated that these actions violated US law. This is not Al-Akhras’ first brush with US sanctions; he was previously sanctioned in 2020, along with other members of the Assad family. His daughter, Asma al-Assad, is married to the former president.
Assad’s departure follows his brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011, which ignited the devastating Syrian civil war. The swift rebel takeover of Damascus marks a dramatic turning point in the conflict, prompting the US to further pressure those perceived as enabling the Assad regime.
First Piper 