22/07/2022 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 21 July the EU Council listed an additional four persons and one entity under a sanctions regime related to the situation in Syria (Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP), “in order to hold the Syrian regime fully accountable for its role in Ukraine”, the Council said in a statement (see other news). Those covered include the private security firm Sanad Protection and Security Services and its co-owners, Ahmed Khalil and Nasser Deeb. The company, supervised by the Wagner Group, is active in the protection of Russian interests (phosphates, gas and securing oil sites) in Syria. Saleh Al-Abdullah, a senior military official involved in recruiting Syrian mercenaries to fight in Ukraine alongside Russia, and Issam Shammout, a prominent businessman operating in Syria, are also subject to sanctions. See the legal act: https://aeur.eu/f/2pk (CG)