Violence spirals in Syia as EU slaps fresh sanctions
DAMASCUS The European Union slapped fresh sanctions on Syria Monday as fierce clashes between government forces and rebels left 23 Syrian soldiers dead and scores of others wounded.
European Union foreign ministers urged the regime of President Bashar al-Assad to adopt a U.N -backed peace plan as they froze the assets of two firms and imposed a travel ban and asset freeze on three people close to the regime.
The fresh sanctions, the 15th time since the anti-Assad uprising began early last year, came even as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported fighting in Rastan, a city in restive Homs province.
The watchdog said many rebels have been wounded in shelling by Syrian forces.
The violence was continuing despite an April 12 ceasefire in place, brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan as part of a peace plan.
Around 300 UN military observers are in Syria to oversee implementation of the peace plan.
Despite the presence of the observers, more than 50 people were killed across Syria over the weekend, the Observatory said.
While Syria is mostly Sunni, President Assad and the ruling elite belong to the minority Alawite sect.
Announcing the fresh sanctions, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said, "The continuing violence is appalling."
She added that the sanctions are aimed at the regime and not the civilian population.
"As long as the repression continues, we will continue to put pressure on those responsible for it," she said in Brussels.
The United Nations estimates that at least 9,000 people have died in clashes in Syria since the uprising began 14 months ago.
Source: Middle East News.Net
- 416 reads
