Bashar al-Assad and his network of cronies have significantly profited from Syria's war economy and the billions of dollars the UN has poured into the country. Reports indicate that UN aid is increasingly going to organizations with ties to human rights abusers and sanctioned individuals. The Syria Trust for Development, founded by Asma al-Assad, received $2.3 million in renewed funding from the UN Refugee Agency between 2020-2021. A follow-up report reveals that the situation has worsened, with more UN funding going to regime-affiliated entities. One year after Assad's regional normalization, the situation in Syria has deteriorated across various fronts, including aid, refugees, security, and drugs. Approximately $75 million worth of captagon manufactured by Assad regime actors was seized in Saudi Arabia, with another $40 million worth seized in Iraq. The UN humanitarian chief reports that 16.7 million people in Syria now require humanitarian assistance, the highest number since the conflict began 13 years ago.
While the Saudi crown prince normalizes relations with Syria's Assad, the UN humanitarian chief reports "that 16.7 million people" in Syria " now require humanitarian assistance – the highest number since the conflict began 13 years ago." https://t.co/O45Muve653
"The Arab state effort to bring Assad in from the cold & make his regime a responsible actor had completely backfired... Every single aspect of Syria’s crisis has worsened since Assad stepped onto Saudi soil last May." - @Charles_Lister in @ForeignPolicy https://t.co/lhVN67ADcT
"Within 48 hours of #SaudiArabia’s May 26 appointment of an Ambassador to #Syria, approximately $75 million of #captagon manufactured by #Assad regime actors was seized on Saudi soil, and a further $40 million worth in #Iraq." - The Normalizing of #Assad Has Been a Disaster https://t.co/ZUIRjAlZJE
One year on from #Assad's regional normalization, everything the #MiddleEast wanted to improve in #Syria has worsened -- from aid, refugees & diplomacy, to security & drugs. My latest for @ForeignPolicy looks at a disastrous miscalculation. https://t.co/fkkSyYeJv1
One year on from #Assad's regional normalization, everything the #MiddleEast wanted to improve in #Syria has worsened -- from aid & diplomacy, to security & drugs. My latest for @ForeignPolicy looks at a disastrous miscalculation. https://t.co/fkkSyYeJv1
One year on from #Assad's regional normalization, everything the #MiddleEast wanted to improve has worsened -- from aid & diplomacy, to security & drugs. My latest for @ForeignPolicy looks at a disastrous miscalculation. https://t.co/fkkSyYeJv1
18 months ago, this @oopensyr-@SyrianLDP report made headlines -- revealing the scale of @UN complicity in paying #Assad regime human rights abusers in #Syria, many of them sanctioned. Today, a follow-up report shows the situation has *worsened* since https://t.co/yriNCM73In https://t.co/CrIiWG4x1B
The Syria Trust for Development, founded by Asma al-Assad, Bashar al-Assad’s wife, was one of the organisations listed as receiving $2.3 million in renewed funding from the UN Refugee Agency between 2020-2021 https://t.co/F8BEC7mK8m
"In Damascus, you have sanctioned people who are benefiting off millions of [aid] dollars" More UN funding is reportedly going to organisations with ties to human rights abusers and sanctioned individuals https://t.co/F8BEC7mK8m
In-depth: Bashar al-Assad and a network of cronies have profited immensely off Syria's war economy and the billions the UN has poured into the country. How UN aid in Syria is increasingly going to regime cronies ⬇️ ✍️ @hannadavis341 https://t.co/F8BEC7mK8m