US slaps sanctions on three Turkish ministers over Syria assault

Washington (AFP) – The US Treasury slapped punitive sanctions on Turkey’s defense minister and two other ministers Monday in response to Ankara’s military assault on northern Syria.

Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, and Energy Minister Fatih Donmez were placed on the Treasury’s sanctions blacklist, freezing their US assets and banning US or US-related transactions with them.

The Defense and Energy ministries were also hit with sanctions, the Treasury said.

“The United States is holding the Turkish Government accountable for escalating violence by Turkish forces, endangering innocent civilians, and destabilizing the region,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

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