Thu Apr 24 12:39:38 UTC 2025: ## UK Lifts Sanctions on Key Syrian Government Entities

**London, UK** – The United Kingdom has unexpectedly lifted sanctions on 12 Syrian government entities, including the Ministries of Defence and Interior, and the General Intelligence Directorate. This move, announced Thursday by the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, comes four months after the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group led a coalition to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, ending over 13 years of civil war.

The removed sanctions will end asset freezes on the listed entities. While the UK government offered no official explanation for the delisting, the previous justification for the sanctions cited the entities’ involvement in repressing civilians and supporting the Assad regime. This action follows a March decision to unfreeze assets of the Central Bank of Syria and 23 other entities. However, sanctions against individual members of the al-Assad regime remain in place.

The new HTS-led government is actively lobbying international powers for the removal of crippling sanctions, arguing that such measures hinder Syria’s stability. This stance is echoed by a recent UN official who urged Syria to begin economic recovery efforts without waiting for Western sanctions to be lifted. A UN report highlights the devastating economic toll of the war, estimating a $800 billion loss in GDP and a decline in the Human Development Index to its lowest point since 1990. The report also reveals that 90% of Syrians live in poverty and a quarter are unemployed.

While the UK’s action is significant, other countries, including the United States, have indicated they will maintain a cautious approach, prioritizing observation of the new government’s actions and human rights record before considering broader sanctions relief. They are likely to continue focusing on targeted and temporary exemptions.

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