By Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Monday removing U.S. sanctions on Syria, the White House said, adding that some sanctions on former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and other individuals will remain in place.
Sanctions would remain on Assad’s associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, people linked to chemical weapons activities, the Islamic State and ISIS affiliates and proxies for Iran, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters in a briefing.
In May, Trump announced he would lift sanctions on Syria as part of measures to help the country rebuild after a devastating civil war.
“He’s committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified and at peace with itself and its neighbors,” Leavitt said, noting Trump’s meeting with Syria’s new president Ahmed al-Sharaa during his recent trip to the Middle East.
“This is another promise made and promise kept by this president to promote peace and stability in the region,” she added.
CBS earlier reported that the order, scheduled to be signed Monday afternoon, was tied to U.S. easing sanctions on Syria.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; additional reporting by Rami Ayyub; writing by Susan Heavey and Steve Holland; Editing by Nia Williams)
