The UN Security Council placed sanctions on the al-Nusra Front, a rebel group in Syria, because of the organization's links to al-Qaeda, a spokesman for the Australian mission to the United Nations said Friday, dpa reported.
The sanctions committee, chaired by Australian Ambassador Gary Quinlan, voted Thursday to place the group on a blacklist of al-Qaeda-related individuals and entities.
Under the sanctions, the group is under an arms embargo, its bank accounts are to be frozen and members of the organization are to be banned from travelling.
The decision was expected to be officially announced later Friday.
Al-Nusra has been listed as a terrorist organization by the United States since December.