The Trump administration on Wednesday announced new economic and travel sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad and his inner circle for crimes against and the ongoing nine-year civil war. 

The sanctions target 39 Syrian individuals, including Assad and his wife, members of Assad's extended family, senior military leaders and business executives. 

The sanctions are the result of legislation known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, named after the pseudonym of a Syrian policeman who turned over photographs of thousands of victims of torture by the Assad government.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this represents “the beginning of what will be a sustained campaign of economic and political pressure to deny the Assad regime revenue and support it uses to wage war and commit mass atrocities against the Syrian people.”

Many analysts fear these new sanctions may cripple Syrias economic crisis even more. 

Syrians in the city of Sweida have taken to streets to protest against the failing economy and rising inflation. The value of Syrian pound, which used to be 47 to a dollar in 2011, is now close to 3,000 to a dollar. 

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also fired Prime Minister Imad Khamis in an attempt to calm the protests.  

Protesters called for improved living conditions, an end to corruption and the withdrawal of Iran-backed militia and Russian troops. 

The inflation has hit the roof, with some Syrians unable to afford basic goods. 

"Because of the high price of the dollar, everything is expensive like chocolate, nothing is getting sold," says Saman, a shop owner. "Most people are just buying sugar, tea, butter and eggs, just to eat, that's it."

The UN counts 7.9 million Syrians who struggle to meet their food needs, and another 1.9 million people at risk of food insecurity. 

Several cities in Syria are replacing the Syrian pound with the Turkish Lira in an effort to stabilize the economy. 

COVID-19 and the three month lock-down has also weakened the private business sector. 

Syrian permanent representative Bashar al-Jaafari at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, questioned whether Washington was concerned about the deteriorating situation for people in his country.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's envoy said the US had confirmed "that the purpose of these measures is to overthrow the legitimate authorities in Syria".

Zhang Jun of China also warned of vulnerability in Syria as "struggling with the [coronavirus] pandemic, imposing more sanctions is simply inhumane".