European Union Sets New Sanctions on Syria

Catherine Ashton

This Monday the European Union (EU) foreign ministers imposed new sanctions on the Syrian regime, speeding it to adopt a U.N. backed peace plan since all attempts of peace have failed.

EU ministers froze assets of two important firms and also imposed a travel ban and asset freeze on three people suspected of funding the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

The European Council informed that this is the 15^th occasion that they impose restrictions on Syria since the start of the uprising on March 2011.

“The continuing violence is appalling,” said Catherine Ashton, EU foreign policy chief. Ashton stated that the sanctions are aimed at the regime and not the civilian population.

Meanwhile the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed that it has received “preliminary information that three armored personnel carriers were destroyed and that at least 23 soldiers were killed.” (AV)