WASHINGTON: The Biden administration on Monday suspended some of the terrorism sanctions that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo imposed on Yemens Houthi rebels in his waning days in office.
The Treasury Department said it would exempt certain transactions involving the Houthis from sanctions resulting from Pompeo’s designation of the group as a foreign terrorist organization on Jan. 10. The exemption will expire Feb. 26, according to a statement from Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announcing a general license for transactions that involve entities owned by the Iran-backed Houthis.
The sanctions Pompeo imposed had taken effect Jan. 19, just a day before President Joe Biden was inaugurated, and had been roundly criticized by the United Nations and relief organizations. Critics said the sanctions would exacerbate what is already one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises by barring aid deliveries to civilians in the war-torn nation.
Treasury’s license does not…