The US Department of State has designated Liwa al Thawra and Harakat Sawaid Misr (Hasm) as terror groups, the department announced Wednesday (January 31st).
The two groups were listed as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, the department said.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that these designations target "key terrorist groups" who are threatening the stability of the Middle East.
"Today’s actions are an important step in denying them the resources they need to plan and carry out their terrorist activities," he said.
Executive Order 13224 imposes sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy or economy of the US.
These designations seek to deny Liwa al Thawra and Hasm the resources they need to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks.
Among other consequences, all of their property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them.
