The European Union has implemented new sanctions against five individuals connected to the Syrian government, including two businessmen suspected of financing the regime’s most brutal operations.
For the first time, the EU has blacklisted Syrian-Russian businessman Mudalal Khoury, who was previously sanctioned by the United States in 2015 for allegedly attempting to procure ammonium nitrate for the Damascus government. His brother, Imad Khoury, has also been hit with sanctions. Both men have been accused of quietly supporting the Assad regime’s activities through off-shore networks and covert financial schemes, including alleged involvement with the regime’s chemical weapons program.
The sanctions, announced Monday, also target three former Syrian military officers: Miqdad Fatiha, Ghaith Dalla, and Suhayl al-Hasan. They are accused of leading militias that committed serious abuses against civilians and detainees during a surge of violence in March 2025 in Syria’s coastal region.
The measures include asset freezes, travel bans to EU member states, and prohibitions on providing funds to those named. The EU’s Council stated that the five individuals are responsible for “serious human rights violations,” including torture, extrajudicial killings, and fueling sectarian conflict.
This move comes at a sensitive time for Brussels, which recently eased some economic sanctions on Syria as part of reconstruction efforts. However, EU officials insist that humanitarian goals do not override accountability for human rights abuses.
Despite the conflict in Syria slipping from global headlines, the sanctions reflect ongoing concern about the networks that have helped the Syrian government evade international pressure.