By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The rebel group that led the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – has long been under sanctions by the United Nations, which the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has described as “A complicating factor for all of us.”
HTS, formerly known as the Nusra Front, was the official wing of Al Qaeda in Syria until ties were severed in 2016. Since May 2014, the group has been on the United Nations Security Council’s Al Qaeda and Islamic State sanctions list and is subject to a global asset freeze. arms embargo.
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A number of HTS members are also under UN sanctions – a travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo – including leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who has been on the list since July 2013.
Diplomats have said there are currently no discussions about lifting U.N. sanctions on the group. The sanctions do not prevent communication with HTS.
WHY ARE THERE UN SANCTIONS ON HTS AND GOLANI?
UN sanctions were imposed on Nusra Front because the group had ties to Al Qaeda and “participated in the financing, planning, facilitation, preparation or execution of acts or activities” with or in support of Al Qaeda and recruiting and supporting the activities of Al Qaeda.
“In January 2017, Nusra Front created Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a means to advance its position in the Syrian uprising and further its own goals as an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria,” the UN sanctions list said.
“Although the rise of HTS has been described in various ways (e.g. as a merger or as a name change), Nusra Front has continued to dominate and operate through HTS in pursuit of its objectives,” the report said.
Golani was also sanctioned for having ties to and working for Al Qaeda.
HOW CAN THE UN SANCTIONS BE REVEALED?
A UN member state may at any time submit a request to the Security Council’s 15-member Islamic State and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee for the lifting of sanctions against any entity or individual.
If the request is made by a country that did not initially propose the name for UN sanctions, the committee will make a decision by consensus.
If the request for delisting is submitted by the country that initially proposed the name for sanctions, the name will be removed from the list after 60 days – unless the committee agrees by consensus that the measures should remain exist.
But if there is no consensus, a member can request that the request be submitted to the Security Council for a vote within 60 days.
It was not immediately clear which countries Nusra Front and Golani were proposing sanctions.
A sanctioned person or entity can also request the lifting of measures by contacting an independent ombudsman – a position created by the municipality in 2009 – who will review the request.
If the ombudsman recommends that a name remain on the list, it will remain. If the ombudsman recommends removing a name, sanctions will be lifted after a process that can take up to nine months – unless the commission agrees by consensus to take action sooner or the commission refers to the council for a possible vote .
ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THE SANCTIONS?
People under UN sanctions can apply for travel exemptions, which will be decided by consensus by the committee.
The council says the sanctions are “not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population.”
A humanitarian exception exists for the UN and aid groups that ‘provide, process or pay for funds, other financial assets or economic resources, or the supply of goods and services necessary to ensure the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance or to provide other activities that support basic human needs.”
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Don Durfee, William Maclean)
