US slaps sanctions on 29 Syrian officials

WASHINGTON - The United States imposed sanctions against 29 senior Syrian officials on Wednesday as the world was scrambling for ways to end the 16-month violence and bloodshed in the Arab country. Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Farid Hijab, two deputy prime ministers as well as ministers of finance and information and governor of the central bank were among those targeted by the Department of Treasury.    

A total of six companies were blacklisted as well, with five accused of being used to advance the Syrian government's proliferation efforts by having links to the Scientific Studies and Research Center, a government agency responsible for developing and producing non-conventional weapons and the missiles to deliver them.    

Drex Technologies, the other company based in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, is owned by Rami Makhluf, al-Assad's billionaire cousin and a "corrupt" government insider blacklisted by the Treasury in February 2008.  

Since Syria was plunged into turmoil in March 2011, Washington has slapped sanctions on more than 100 individuals and entities as well as the entire Syrian government, including its central bank and oil companies. "Today's actions reflect the unwavering commitment of the United States to pressure the Assad regime to end the carnage and relinquish power," said David Cohen, under secretary of Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.    

"As long as Assad stays in power, the bloodshed and instability in Syria will only mount, and we will continue working with our partners in the international community to ensure that the inevitable political transition occurs as rapidly as possible," he said in a statement.  

Syrian Defense Minister Dawood Rajha and his deputy Assef Shawkat were killed Wednesday morning when a suicide bombing ripped through the country's intelligence headquarters in the capital city of Damascus. The attack followed three days of violent clashes in the capital between the Syrian government and rebel forces, and came hours before the UN Security Council is set to discuss texts of two rival resolutions on Syria put forward respectively by Russia and Britain.    

Moscow said on Monday that Western governments were trying to blackmail Russia into supporting their draft, threatening to end the UN Supervision Mission in Syria if a deal is not reached. The Britain-proposed draft calls on the Syrian government to pull out troops and heavy weapons from populated areas within 10  days, threatening non-military sanctions in case of non-compliance. Russia has voiced opposition to the British draft, and called for extending the UN observer mission for another three months.