Washington: US Senators voted Wednesday to pass the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes a measure to repeal Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act sanctions on Syria. By a 77-20 vote, the Senate agreed to the motion to concur in the House amendment to S.1071, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2026.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the sanctions, initially approved by President Donald J. Trump during his first term, came into force on December 20, 2019. These sanctions were designed to penalize the Syrian government for human rights abuses.
However, in his second term, Trump promised to lift these sanctions following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime late last year. The repeal is seen as a significant shift in US foreign policy towards Syria.
The decision to remove the sanctions has sparked a range of reactions both domestically and internationally, with supporters arguing it could lead to improved diplomatic relations and critics warning it might embolden the current Syrian government.