The US Treasury Department has issued exemptions aimed at facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into Syria for six months, while monitoring what is happening on Syrian territory.

The department stated on Monday, January 6, that its Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued General License No. “24” for Syria, to expand authorizations for activities and transactions in Syria following December 8, 2024.

This action reaffirms Washington’s commitment to ensuring that US sanctions do not hinder activities aimed at meeting basic humanitarian needs, including the provision of public services or humanitarian assistance.

General License No. “24” includes assistance in ensuring that sanctions do not impede essential services and the continuity of governance functions throughout Syria, including the provision of electricity, energy, water, and sanitation.

This license will last for six months while the US government continues to monitor the evolving situation on the ground, according to the decision.

Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo stated that “the end of Bashar al-Assad’s brutal and repressive rule, supported by Russia and Iran, presents a unique opportunity for Syria and its people to rebuild.”

He added that during this transitional period, the Treasury Department will continue to support humanitarian aid and responsible governance in Syria.

This authorization does not lift the ban on the properties or interests of any person prohibited under any of Washington’s sanctions programs, including al-Assad and his partners, the Syrian government, the Central Bank of Syria (CBS), or Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

The authorization does not allow any financial transfers to any prohibited person, except for the purpose of making certain authorized payments to governing institutions or service providers connected in Syria.

The easing of US sanctions comes hours after discussions about the Biden administration’s intent to announce this.

It was expected that Washington would announce the easing of restrictions imposed on providing humanitarian aid and other essential services such as electricity to Syria while maintaining the sanctions regime, aiming to pave the way for improved living conditions in Syria while maintaining US leverage.

Since 2011, the United States has imposed a series of sanctions against Bashar al-Assad, senior Syrian officials, and close allies of the former Syrian regime, alongside economic entities, as part of the pressure to stop human rights violations and achieve political reforms.

The sanctions include freezing assets held by sanctioned officials in the United States and prohibiting American financial institutions from dealing with them.

The US government also warns that any entity dealing with these officials may also face similar sanctions.

Currently, many Syrian demands are rising for the necessity of lifting sanctions after the fall of the Assad regime, amid opposition from human rights advocates calling for guarantees from the new Syrian administration regarding the political transition process before fully lifting the sanctions.