'Assad's brother tops list of Syrians hit by US sanctions'Maher Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar Assad is likely to top the list of Syrian targets of US economic sanctions, Al Arabiya reported on Wednesday.The sanctions, which Washington is considering, would freeze assets of Syrian officials in American banks, according to Al Arabiya. The US Treasury Department reportedly plans to release the list of officials to be hit by sanctions before Friday.Assad's brother, commander of the Syrian Army's Fourth Division, is considered the second most powerful man in Syria.In addition, the UN Human Rights Council will hold a special session on the deteriorating situation in Syria on Friday, after enough states backed a US request, a UN statement said on Wednesday.The US request to convene an urgent session of the 47-member Geneva forum was endorsed by 16 member states including Britain, France, and the United States, it said. No Arab countries were among those requesting the session, which requires one-third of the forum's membership to hold.Witnesses report seeing tanks, sniper fireWitnesses said they saw at least 30 Syrian Army tanks on tank carriers seen moving on the Damacus Circular Highway on Wednesday.Snipers intermittently shot into Deraa, a witness told CNN, adding that the situation is "worsening day after day."Syrian opposition group the National Initiative for Change called for democracy that will "safeguard the nation from falling into a period of violence, chaos and civil war." The group said that its "massive grassroots revolution" will break Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, unless he makes democratic reforms, AP reported.Without reform, the group reportedly said, "there is no alternative left for Syrians except to move forward along the same path as did the Tunisians, Egyptians and Libyans before them."
EU members to explore 'all options' on Syria sanctions
Report: US Treasury to release names of officials to be targeted by sanctions, including Assad's brother; 453 reported dead in clashes between army, anti-gov't protesters; UNHRC to hold special Syria session.
'Assad's brother tops list of Syrians hit by US sanctions'Maher Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar Assad is likely to top the list of Syrian targets of US economic sanctions, Al Arabiya reported on Wednesday.The sanctions, which Washington is considering, would freeze assets of Syrian officials in American banks, according to Al Arabiya. The US Treasury Department reportedly plans to release the list of officials to be hit by sanctions before Friday.Assad's brother, commander of the Syrian Army's Fourth Division, is considered the second most powerful man in Syria.In addition, the UN Human Rights Council will hold a special session on the deteriorating situation in Syria on Friday, after enough states backed a US request, a UN statement said on Wednesday.The US request to convene an urgent session of the 47-member Geneva forum was endorsed by 16 member states including Britain, France, and the United States, it said. No Arab countries were among those requesting the session, which requires one-third of the forum's membership to hold.Witnesses report seeing tanks, sniper fireWitnesses said they saw at least 30 Syrian Army tanks on tank carriers seen moving on the Damacus Circular Highway on Wednesday.Snipers intermittently shot into Deraa, a witness told CNN, adding that the situation is "worsening day after day."Syrian opposition group the National Initiative for Change called for democracy that will "safeguard the nation from falling into a period of violence, chaos and civil war." The group said that its "massive grassroots revolution" will break Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, unless he makes democratic reforms, AP reported.Without reform, the group reportedly said, "there is no alternative left for Syrians except to move forward along the same path as did the Tunisians, Egyptians and Libyans before them."