US economic embargo​​​​​​​ on Syria is 'crime against humanity': Analyst

The US economic embargo against Syria which doesn't have the approval of the UN Security Council is a “crime against humanity," a Canadian political commentator has said. 

Mark Taliano added that the United States and its allies are supporting the harsh sanctions against the Arab country which are “cancer to the world." 

The new sanctions came into effect under the so-called Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act on June 17, targeting almost all Syrian economic and trade activities as well as the country’s government and business officials loyal to Damascus.

The restrictive measures, signed by US President Donald Trump last December, penalized 39 companies and individuals, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma — the first time she has been hit by US sanctions.

US imposes new sanctions on war-torn Syria

The US imposes new sanctions on the war-torn Syria in a bid to increase pressure on the Damascus government.

The US and European Union had already imposed sanctions on Syria, freezing the assets of the state and hundreds of firms and individuals.

But the new measures can freeze the assets of anyone dealing with the Syrian government, regardless of nationality, and target many more sectors.

“I don't even call them sanctions because they're entirely criminal. It’s an economic embargo. It doesn't have the Security Council approval. These are high crimes. It's collective punishment, crimes against humanity,” Taliano told Press TV in a phone interview on Friday. 

“The US and its allies, including Canada, are rogue states. They are collectively punishing countries that insist on the rule of international law and nation-state sovereignty and self-determination. They are cancer to the world,” he added.

“They're targeting everyday civilians and they are not targeting, in fact, they're supporting al-Qaeda and ISIS as they have been doing for the last 10 years in Syria. It's entirely diabolical.”

Taliano went on to say that the US and its allies are “guilty” of international war crimes and that their acts of invasion under the guise of humanitarian purposes enjoy support from the US intelligence agencies.

“What the mainstream doesn't say is that the West is entirely guilty of supreme international war crimes, daily really. The entire regime-change wars have no basis in international law. They claim that it's about humanitarianism but of course there's nothing humanitarian about it,” the Canadian analyst said.

In Damascus, people condemn US anti-Syria sanctions

The demonstrators condemned the so-called Caesar Act, which is against the Assad administration..

“The West does not now and never did wage wars for humanitarian purposes. The West is criminally occupying, looting petroleum resources… There's nothing humanitarian about this,” Taliano added.

“The West supports all the terrorists and so I mean those of us who are aware of what's going on are just totally disgusted at the criminality of our government, and the duplicity of our politicians, who do not represent us, and we denounce the censorship of the truth, and the negation of any and all forms of International Justice,” he underlined.

US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft said at a Security Council meeting on Tuesday that the sanctions are aimed to prevent Damascus from achieving victory in the fight against foreign-backed militants. 

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding the Takfiri terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc in the country.

The government forces have already managed to undo militant gains across the country and bring back almost all of Syrian soil under government control.

The government gains in Syria have enraged the US, which has long been collaborating with anti-Damascus militants and stealing Syria’s crude resources.

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