The Council of the EU has approved additional restrictive measures against 6 persons and 5 syrian entities.
The new listings include an economic advisor to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, three leading businesspersons providing support to, and benefitting from, the Syrian regime and two persons connected to the Assad family.
The following persons and entities are added to the sanction list:
- Yasser Hussein Ibrahim. He is an economic advisor to Bashar al-Assad and acts in the economic council run by Asma al-Assad. Together with Ali Najib Ibrahim he operates a number of shell companies, and acts as a front for business activities of Bashar Al-Assad and Asma Al-Assad.
- Mahmoud al-Dj. Mahmoud al-Dj is a leading businessperson operating in Syria, who owns several companies active in different sectors such as logistics and tourism. He facilitates illicit transactions between regime-affiliated persons and entities in Syria and Eastern Libya.
- Bilal al-Naal. He is a founder and partner of multiple trading and investment companies in Syria.
- Fahad Darwish. Darwish owns and runs multiple businesses in Syria active in different sectors such as trading and pharmaceuticals.
- Mohannad al-Dabbagh. Mohannad al-Dabbagh is a cousin of Asma al-Assad. He co-owns Takamol LLC, a company responsible for managing the electronic “smart card program” used since 2014 to distribute subsidised food and other products in Syria.
- Firas al-Akhras. Firas al-Akhras is the brother of Asma al-Assad. He is co-owner of the Takamol LLC company responsible for managing the electronic “smart card program” used since 2014 to distribute subsidised food and other products in Syria.
- Al-Dj Group. Al-Dj Group is a Syrian business entity, owned and managed by Mahmoud al-Dj. As a holding company it owns and operates the Freebird Travel Agency, an agent for Cham Wings Airlines, which is conducting frequent flights between Syria and Libya.
- Cham Wings. Cham Wings Airlines is a Syrian business entity which is owned by Muhammad Issam Shammout.
- Freebird Travel Agency. Freebird serves as principal agent for Cham Wings Airlines.
- Iloma Investment Private JSC. Iloma Investment Private JSC has been established at the beginning of 2023 to take over almost half of the ownership of Damascus airport.
- Al-Aqila Company. Al-Aqila Company entered into a joint venture with the Iranian Alborz Insurance Company
Sanctions on Syria were first introduced in 2011 in response to the violent repression of the civilian population. EU sanctions target the Assad regime and its supporters, as well as sectors of the economy from which the regime makes profit.
