US slaps sanctions on Libya minister, 16 companies

[ProSense]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States imposed sanctions on Libya's foreign minister and 16 state-owned companies Tuesday, ratcheting up pressure on the regime of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi.

The US Treasury Department announced "further steps to isolate the Kadhafi regime," targeting Libyan Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa and 16 firms it identified in Libya's banking, oil, aviation and investment sectors as being owned or controlled by the Libyan government.

Kussa, a former head of Libya's Intelligence Agency, was slapped with sanctions under an order from President Barack Obama whose targets include senior officials of the Libyan government.

"Today's designation of Mussa Kussa builds on the strong steps taken by the United States to apply targeted, financial pressure on the Kadhafi regime," David Cohen, acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in the statement.




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