WASHINGTON: The US government hit Libya's prime minister and its oil and finance ministers with sanctions Friday, in a fresh bid to fracture Moamer Qadhafi's inner circle.
The US Treasury Department said it had frozen the assets of five senior Kadhafi aides, including Shukri Ghanem, the head of the country's powerful oil company.
It also targeted prime minister Baghdadi Mahmoud.
The US has frozen around $34 billion in Libyan assets since mid-February and has tried to use the unblocking of funds as a carrot for aides to defect.
"We will continue to expose and impose sanctions on senior Libyan government officials who choose to remain at Qadhafi's side," said US sanctions czar David Cohen.
"They have a choice to make, and we will make that choice as stark as possible."
Earlier this month the US government lifted sanctions against former foreign minister Mussa Kussa after he defected to Britain.
On Friday the Treasury Department also placed sanctions on the Qadhafi International Charity and Development Foundation and the Waatasemu Charity Association, two organizations controlled by the Libyan leader and his children.
Some 19 individuals are now subjected to the measures.
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