EU Sanctions Syrian Militia Leaders for Alawite Violence, Lifts Economic Restrictions on Syria
The European Union announced sanctions on Wednesday targeting two Syrian National Army (SNA) leaders and three factions for “serious human rights abuses” during March’s violence in Alawite-majority coastal areas, Rudaw reported. The measures, binding across all EU states, name Mohammed Hussein al-Jassim (Abu Amsha) of the Suleiman Shah Brigade and Seyf Boulad Abu Bakr of the Hamza Division, alongside their factions and the Sultan Murad Division. The EU accused them of “targeting civilians, especially Alawites, through torture and arbitrary killings.”
The SNA, a Turkish-backed coalition integrated into Syria’s defense ministry, has long been implicated in attacks on minorities, including Kurds and Alawites. March’s clashes, triggered by anti-government militias, left 1,500 dead—mostly Alawite civilians—per the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Human Rights Watch recently urged Damascus to purge abusive SNA members from security forces, citing ongoing extortion and detentions in northern Syria.
In a stark reminder of Syria’s persistent instability, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has reported a grim toll of 24 lives lost across the country in just 48 hours, from May 26 to May 27. The majority of these fatalities, 10 in total, were civilians, including four children and two women. The deaths were attributed to a range of incidents, including explosions from war remnants, criminal acts, targeted assassinations by unknown assailants, and retaliatory liquidations. The SOHR reiterated its commitment to documenting these violations and called for international accountability for perpetrators and urgent action to protect the Syrian population.
Simultaneously, the EU lifted all economic sanctions on Syria, unfreezing assets for 21 entities, including the Central Bank, to support recovery. Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the move “historic,” reaffirming the EU’s commitment to Syria’s transition.
Criticism persists over Syria’s interim government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, for appointing militia figures linked to abuses, raising fears of sectarian repression against Kurds, Druze, and Christians. The dual EU actions reflect a balancing act: penalizing rights violators while aiding economic stabilization. Analysts note the sanctions signal continued scrutiny of militia impunity, even as the EU pivots to post-war reconstruction.
