The European Union has lifted sanctions on Syrian airline Cham Wings, representatives for the EU and the airline said on Wednesday, after the privately owned company was blacklisted over accusations it was helping smuggle migrants into the bloc.
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The EU imposed the sanctions in December, accusing it of flying people to Belarus so they could then illegally cross the EU's external borders in what flared up into a migration and humanitarian crisis.
The airline had already been blacklisted by the United States, who said the Syrian government had used the airline to transport terrorists, weapons, and other equipment during the war raging in the country since 2011.
The EU decision to remove it from the sanctions list was signed on July 18 by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, according to a statement by an EU spokesperson.
The airline, which currently operates with three aircraft to destinations mostly in the Middle East, welcomed the de-listing.
Its business development and public relations director Osama Satea said on Wednesday the airline had objected to the EU's original blacklisting and said the reversal was "a glimmer of hope."
