New U.S. sanctions against Syria come into effect

June 17, 2020 - Beirut, Lebanon, Asia, Middle East - The toughest U.S. sanctions yet on Syria take effect on Wednesday, increasing the pressure on President Bashar al-Assad as he grapples with a deepening economic crisis after a decade of war. Watching out for an official response from Damascus to the sanctions which Washington says will help hold Assad and his backers to account for war crimes in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people. Damascus says it is an escalation of economic warfare against its citizens.
​