30/05/2022 (Agence Europe) – The EU Council decided on Monday 30 May to include the Syria-based al-Qaeda affiliate Hurras al-Din, its leader Faruq al-Suri, and its religious leader Sami al-Aridi in the list of persons and entities sanctioned for their links to ISIL/Daesh and al-Qaeda. According to the EU Council, Hurras al-Din operates on behalf of and under the auspices of al-Qaeda and has been involved in planning external terrorist operations. To achieve its goals, the group has established operational camps in Syria that provide terrorist training to its members. This group and these individuals also carried out propaganda activities that played “a key role in promoting the violent jihadist ideology of al-Qaeda and inciting members to commit terrorist acts”. With these new measures, ten individuals and three entities are sanctioned (asset freeze and visa ban for individuals). (CG)