Sere Kaniye Displaced Committee welcomes UK Sanctions

The Sere Kaniye Displaced Committee welcomed the United Kingdom’s announcement of new sanctions on several mercenary leaders and businessmen linked to the Baath regime who committed serious and well-documented violations against civilians in Syria.

Yesterday, the UK Foreign Office said the sanctions include: Ghiath Dalla and Miqdad Ftiha, former military commanders in the Baath regime forces; Mohammad al-Jassem (Abu Amsha), leader of the Sultan Suleiman Shah Brigade; Saif Bolad, leader of the Hamza Division; as well as businessmen Mudalal Khouri and Imad Khouri, accused of providing financial support to the Baath regime.

The committee described the move as “an important development in the path of enhancing accountability and preventing impunity, both of which are essential conditions for any fair and sustainable political settlement in Syria.”

In a statement, the committee noted that this step represents international recognition of the seriousness of crimes and violations committed against Syrian civilians, including those targeting the displaced people of Sere Kaniye, Afrin, Grî Spî, and other areas.

The statement stressed that these violations — including forced displacement, property seizure, arbitrary detention, and torture — have been documented over years by Syrian human rights organizations, including the Ta’azur Association for Victims, as part of ongoing efforts to document crimes and support victims’ demands for justice.

The committee said that asset freezes, travel bans, and bans on holding office against those responsible for these violations are important steps, but insufficient unless followed by comprehensive judicial measures and an expansion of sanctions to include all those involved, while ensuring non-selective accountability.

It emphasized that justice for victims and accountability for all perpetrators, individuals and groups alike without exception, constitute the true foundation for any just and lasting peace in Syria, warning that any attempt to bypass or dilute justice would lead to renewed violence and instability.

The statement concluded by reaffirming the committee’s commitment to continue working with victims and their families, in coordination with Syrian and international human rights organizations, to ensure the right of safe return, uncover the truth, achieve justice, provide reparations, and prevent impunity.

a.k

ANHA