Washington: US President Joe Biden extended for another year the US national emergency declared with respect to Syria, maintaining sanctions against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, the White House said in a press release.
“Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria,” Biden said in the release on Monday.
Biden extended the US national emergency on Syria a few days after Syria returned to the Arab League.
On Sunday, the Arab League states’ foreign ministers announced that Syria, whose membership was suspended in 2011, would return to the organization.
The 22-nation Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in 2011 after war broke out in the country. Several member states then recalled their ambassadors from Syria in protest of Assad’s policies, accusing his government of cracking down on protesters in the country. More recently, some of those nations have begun taking steps to reengage with Syria and reopen their respective embassies.
