United States will impose sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for his role in the bloody repression of protesters in the Arab country, sources revealed today in Washington, according to BBC.
It is the first time that Syrian leader is personally targeted by these measures. This decision represents “an effort to increase pressure on the Syrian government to end violence against its people and to begin the transition to a democratic system”, said one source.
U.S. President Barack Obama on April 29 imposed a first set of sanctions against several officials of the regime in Damascus, including President al-Assad’s brother Maher, a cousin of Syrian leader and one of the heads of security services.
U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton warned yesterday that Washington is still preparing “additional measures” against Syria which “borrowed the worst tactics from its ally Iran”. The sanctions could be announced tomorrow when Barack Obama will deliver a speech about the Middle East.
At least eight people were killed today in Talkl Kalakh, a city in western Syria besieged by security forces, despite President Bashar al-Assad’s assurances that the crisis is “about to end”. At least 700 civilians have died since the beginning of protests against al-Assad regime, according to human rights organizations that have criticized the U.S. for not adopting a tougher position against Damascus.