US Eases Some Sanctions on Syria for 180 Days After Earthquake

The US has issued a 180-day exemption for its sanctions on Syria that applies to “all transactions related to earthquake relief efforts,” according to the US Treasury Department.

The exemption was announced on Thursday night and came days after a devastating earthquake hit northern Syria and Turkey. As of Sunday, over 33,000 people have been killed in the earthquake. More than 4,500 people died in Syria, and at least 29,605 have been killed in Turkey.

In the wake of the earthquake, the head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) detailed how US and other Western sanctions were impeding the relief effort. After growing calls to lift sanctions, the US issued the exemption, but UN experts say more needs to be done.