Obama administration sanctions Syrian businessman

“Muhammad Hamsho earned his fortune through his connections to regime insiders, and during the current unrest, he has cast his lot with Bashar al-Asad, Mahir al-Asad and others responsible for the Syrian government’s violence and intimidation against the Syrian people,” David Cohen, a Treasury under secretary, said in a statement.

The release added that Hamsho, a member of the Syrian parliament, has advanced his political career with bribes.

The Syrian military has been looking to crush dissent in the country for much of this year, with clashes in the city of Hama leaving more than 200 dead in recent days. Robert Ford, the American ambassador to Syria, told ABC News recently that the U.S. would increase its pressure on the Middle Eastern country.

The U.S. has reportedly been weighing sanctions on Syria’s energy sector.