The US has eased sanctions to try to meet the needs of Syria’s people after the December ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

But the Janet Yellen-led Treasury Department kept many restrictions in place, including the designation of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham group that led efforts to topple the former dictator.

A general licence issued by the department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control allows transactions to support the sale, supply, storage and donation of energy to Syria, or within the country.