US lifts sanctions on Syrian PM after defection

August 15, 2012 00:44

The United States today lifted sanctions against former Syrian prime minister Riad Hijab, who defected earlier this month, as it urged more top officials to abandon the regime.

In a move aimed at convincing members of the inner circle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime that they have not been permanently blacklisted, the US Treasury Department unfroze Hijab's assets. "This action is being taken because Hijab is no longer a senior official of the government of Syria," the Treasury said in a statement.

"The United States encourages other officials within the Syrian government, in both the political and military ranks, to take similarly courageous steps to reject the Assad regime and stand with the Syrian people," Treasury official David Cohen said.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Adani group mcap regains $200 bn-mark

Adani Group's market capitalisation on Wednesday regained $200 billion-mark (Rs 16.9 lakh crore) after its listed firms gained Rs 11,300 crore as investors reposed faith on the company denying any wrongdoing in supply of coal to Tamil...

IPL Eliminator PIX: Avesh, Ashwin star as RR restrict RCB to 172

IMAGES from the IPL 2024 Eliminator played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad, on Wednesday.

Inflation seen closer to target in FY26: RBI report

The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) state of the economy report observed that any durable alignment of headline retail inflation with the target of 4 per cent could recommence in the second half of FY25 and sustain until numbers closer...

Don't communalise, leave Army out: EC to BJP, Cong

The Election Commission Wednesday directed the leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to refrain from making speeches on religious and communal lines, and opposition Congress from potentially divisive statements on the...

Home ministry office in Delhi gets hoax bomb threat

It was written in the email that the "building will explode as bomb is planted", a police officer said and added that the IP address and other details of the mail are being checked.