United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker will travel to eastern Ukraine on July 21 to meet with those who have been affected by Russian aggression and to discuss the importance of security and safety for all Ukrainians. On July 24, he will be in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian officials to discuss the path to restoring Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He will then travel to Paris to see French and German officials to discuss the Minsk process and Normandy format conversations. His next stop will be Brussels, where he will meet EU and NATO officials on resolving the conflict in Ukraine. On July 26, he will travel to Vienna for meetings with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to discuss the efforts of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in eastern Ukraine. He will then travel to London, where he will consult with British officials regarding the way forward in Ukraine.

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The Department of State has amended the designation of Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 to change the group’s primary name to Khalid bin Al-Walid Army and to add new aliases. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with the Khalid bin Al-Walid Army, and all property and interests in property of the organization subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked.

The Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade, formed in 2012, has staged attacks throughout Southern Syria, including several attacks targeting UN personnel. The group, which has pledged allegiance to ISIS, was designated by the Department of State as a SDGT entity on June 10, 2016. Near the time of the U.S. designation, the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade changed its name to Khalid bin Al-Walid Army after merging with groups operating in Southern Syria. ISIS announced the group’s name change and merger through its Amaq News Agency.

Khalid bin Al-Walid Army has also been listed on the UN Security Council 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions list. The group’s UN designation coincides with the UN Security Council’s adoption of a resolution updating the UN Security Council 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regime and underscoring its continued importance in the global effort to defeat ISIS and al-Qa’ida.

These actions notify the U.S. public and the international community that the terrorist organization Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade now operates under, and is known by, the name Khalid bin Al-Walid Army. Designations of terrorist individuals and groups expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and result in denial of access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist or complement the law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and other governments.

A list of State Department-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations and SDGTs is available here: http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/index.htm.

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SECRETARY TILLERSON: Good morning, all. Your Excellency, welcome to the State Department. It’s a pleasure to have you here.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, are you disappointed that the Qatar crisis has not been resolved yet or that more progress hasn’t been made?

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Well, I think as a follow-on to our trip over there last week, there has been some, I think, positive movement. The Qataris have continued to move forward on the MOU that the U.S. and Qatar entered into to address many of the terrorism, terror financing, counterterrorism concerns that people have, and they have been very aggressive in implementing that agreement. So we’re – I think we’re satisfied with the effort they’re putting forth. I think they also have indicated a willingness to sit with the four parties and negotiate, discuss the demands. I think they have indicated they think it’s important that the sovereignty and dignity of all five countries be respected in those discussions.

And so what – I hope the four countries will consider as a sign of good faith lifting this land blockade, which is really having the most, I think, negative effects on the Qatari people. And that would be a good – I think a good sign if the four countries would do that. And I’m hopeful they’ll consider that seriously.

QUESTION: Are you disappointed in the four countries so far?

SECRETARY TILLERSON: I hope they will begin to take some positive action. Thank you.

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