US slaps sanctions on Syrian Defence Minister over Idlib

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses at the Embassy of the United States of America in New Delhi on June 26, 2019. (IANS File Photo)

WASHINGTON, MARCH 18 (IANS): The US has imposed sanctions on Syrian Defence Minister Ali Abdullah Ayoub for his alleged actions of ceasefire obstruction in northern Syria, US State Department said in a statement.

The statement released on Tuesday accused Ayoub of preventing a ceasefire from taking hold in northern Syria since December 2019, adding that "this obstruction resulted in almost a million people being displaced", Xinhua reported.

According to the designation, all of Ayoub's property and interests in the US have been blocked and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him.

Russian-backed Syrian forces launched military offensives in December 2019 in its northwestern province of Idlib, the last stronghold of the Syrian rebels supported by Ankara.