Syria on Saturday lambasted the United States for sanctions it has imposed on Damascus, following a U.N. special rapporteur’s statement that called on Washington to remove unilateral sanctions against the war-torn country.

In a statement, Syrian Foreign Ministry said the US sanctions against the country mount to “crimes against humanity” that impact the life of normal citizens as the country looks to rebuild after 10 years of deadly war.

The ministry slammed statement issued by the “US’ empty embassy” in Damascus, stressing that it included lies in response to the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Alenea Douhan’s appeal to Washington to lift the sanctions on Syria.

Douhan’s appeal considered US sanctions as the reason behind the hard conditions to which the Syrians are exposed.

“This act confirms the United States ’persistence to the policy of hegemony and arrogance.”

Damascus stressed that It is time for the US Administration to assume full responsibility for the suffering of Syrians “through its support for terrorism and the unilateral coercive measures which violate international laws and deprive Syrians from having livelihood factors of decent life.”

It concluded by saying that the outcomes of the US policies “mount to crimes against humanity,” adding that the demand of the United Nations Special Rapporteur should be “the beginning for holding the US administration accountable for its crimes against the Syrians.”

Source: Reuters and SANA