The European Union has sanctioned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a bid to pressure his government amid a crackdown on anti-government protesters.The EU added Mr. Assad and other senior officials to a list banning them from traveling to the EU and freezing their European assets. An earlier set of EU sanctions this month included 13 Syrian officials, including Maher al-Assad, who is the president's brother and commands a division of Syria's army.Last week, the United States imposed sanctions on Mr. Assad and six of his aides, saying it was holding them personally responsible for deadly attacks by security forces.
Syrian rights activists say more than 850 civilians have been killed since mid-March, when protesters began calling for democratic reforms and Mr. Assad's ouster. Authorities have arrested 7,000 people as part of the crackdown.