Badreddine among 3 Hizbullah Officials Sanctioned by U.S. over Syria Role

The U.S. imposed sanctions Tuesday on three senior Hizbullah officials, including Mustafa Badreddine, over their alleged military role in Syria.

“The U.S. Department of the Treasury today imposed sanctions against a set of key Hizbullah leaders, military officials, and an associate in Lebanon, further exposing and targeting Hizbullah's active support to the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hizbullah's terrorist activities,” a statement said.

It identified the three officials as Mustafa Badreddine, Fu'ad Shukr and Ibrahim Aqil.

The Treasury also imposed sanctions against “Hizbullah facilitator” Abdul Nour Shaalan for “acting for or on behalf of Hizbullah.”

“All assets of these four individuals that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them,” it said.

The Treasury said Tuesday's designations “are the latest in a series of actions the U.S. government is taking against Hizbullah for its violent terrorist activities and its support to the Assad regime's attacks against the Syrian people.”

Its most recent related action took place in June 2015 with the designation of alleged Hizbullah front companies and facilitators.

"As these designations make clear, the United States will continue to aggressively target Hizbullah for its terrorist activities worldwide as well as its ongoing support to Assad's ruthless military campaign in Syria," said Adam J. Szubin, Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

"We will pursue all of Hizbullah's revenue sources, whether charitable fundraising, criminal proceeds, or state sponsorship," he added.

The U.S. Treasury statement noted that Hizbullah “began providing military support, including training, advice, and extensive logistical aid, to the Assad regime and pro-regime militias at the start of the Syrian conflict in early 2011.”

“Hizbullah has coordinated its military support with senior officials in the Assad regime. Under the direction of Hizbullah Secretary-General (Sayyed) Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbullah escalated its military aid to the Government of Syria in mid-2012,” it added.

One of five Hizbullah suspects being tried by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon over their alleged role in the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri, Mustafa Badreddine is “assessed to be responsible for Hizbullah's military operations in Syria since 2011, including the movement of Hizbullah fighters from Lebanon to Syria,” the Treasury said.

“Since September 2011, strategic coordination was handled between Assad and Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah on a weekly basis, with Badreddine accompanying Nasrallah during the meetings in Damascus,” it added.

“Since 2012, Badreddine coordinated Hizbullah military activities in Syria. Badreddine led Hizbullah ground offensives in the Syrian town of al-Qusayr in February 2013, and in May 2013 the Free Syrian Army (FSA) confirmed that Badreddine was leading Hizbullah's operations in al-Qusayr,” the Treasury went on to say.

As for Ibrahim Aqil and Fouad Shukr, the Treasury said they serve on “Hizbullah's highest military body, the Jihad Council” and have played “a vital role in Hizbullah's military campaign in Syria.”

Meanwhile, Abdul Nour Shaalan, “a businessman with close ties to Hizbullah leadership, has been Hizbullah's point person for the procurement and transshipment of weapons and materiel for the group and its Syrian partners for at least 15 years,” the Treasury alleged.

It said Shaalan has been critical in keeping Hizbullah supplied with weapons, including small arms, since the start of the Syrian conflict.

“Shaalan ensures items purchased for Hizbullah personnel in Syria make it through customs. In 2014, Shaalan used his business cover to hide weapons-related materiel in Syria for Hizbullah,” the Treasury claimed.

“In 2010, Shaalan was at the center of brokering a business deal involving Hizbullah, Syrian officials, and companies in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine regarding the purchase and sale of weapons,” it added.

Y.R.