Caesar Act sanctions Syria's First Lady Asma Al-Assad for first time

The US State Department on Wednesday sanctioned Asma Al-Assad, wife of Syrian president Bashar, for the first time, along with 39 designated individuals and entities under the Caesar Act. 

This is the first time the Asma has been personally targeted by US sanctions, while her husband Bashar and other family members were also named in the list.

US Secretary of State Michael said in the statement that Asma "with the support of her husband and members of her Akhras family has become one of Syria's most notorious war profiteers", referring to the first lady's family.

The Caesar Syria Civilian Protect Act of 2019 aims to deter the Assad regime from the "whole slaughter of the Syrian people" as well as pressure the regime into UN-led negotiations

Pompeo said the campaign will resume in the coming weeks, targeting more individuals and businesses that support the Assad regime.

 Read more: What is the Caesar Act and how will new US sanctions impact Syria?

"We will not stop until Assad and his regime stop their needless, brutal war against the Syrian people and the Syrian government agrees to a political solution to the conflict," Pompeo said.

As the sanctions came into effect, Syria's central bank officially devalued its Syrian lira.

An alleged government document shared on social media appeared to show the war-ravaged country's central bank increasing the official dollar exchange rate from 704 to 1,256 Syrian liras.

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