US sanctions 3 firms for aiding Syrian government
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The Treasury Department is sanctioning three companies suspected of aiding the Syrian government, which is fighting opposition forces in a civil war that has killed more than 160,000 people.
The Treasury Department on Wednesday designated Pangates International Corp., a petroleum company based in the United Arab Emirates, for supplying materials to the Syrian government and the Syrian state oil company.
Also sanctioned were Expert Partners and Megatrade, two Syrian-based companies suspected of having links to Syria's weapons programs. The department says the two companies act on behalf of the U.S.-sanctioned Scientific Studies and Research Center. That's the Syrian agency responsible for developing and producing nonconventional weapons and ballistic missiles.
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The action bans Americans from conducting transactions with the companies named and freezes any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction.