The first family of Syria faces fresh EU sanctions

In a bid to end the relentless violence in Syria, The European Union (EU) has slapped a fresh sanction on the close family members of President Bashar-Al-Assad on Friday. The ban list which already includes the President and senior officials has now his British wife, Asma Assad, and 11 other family members on it. The latest EU sanction not only forbids them to travel to any EU nations, but has also frozen their assets throughout the 27 nation block. However, this does not restrict the London-born Asma Assad, an ex-banker and a style icon, from visiting her native country, i.e. Britain.

To break the unending crackdown on people in Syria and tighten fund availability before the regime, EU has slapped Syrian currency ban last year November. Right now, as many as 150 Syrian companies and individuals are facing EU-imposed asset freeze and visa ban. Besides European Union, countries like the United States, the Arab League, Japan and such others have already sanctioned against Syria.

In spite of ongoing efforts globally to address the Syria unrest, violence is going on uninterrupted in Syria. Not less than 54 Syrians are believed to be dead on Friday. It is being claimed that heavy security forces deployed in Damascus are firing live ammunition and tear gas on people.

As many as 9000 refugees have received blankets, mattresses and food from the International Red Cross. The UN-Arab League special ambassador, Kofi Annan, is scheduled for an official visit to Beijing and Moscow this weekend to discuss on Syria crisis.

International Red Cross humanitarian aid finally reaches Syria

After weeks of atrocities, Bashar-Al-Assad regime gave in to heightened pressure from prominent world leaders and allowed medical help to reach Syria on Friday. Volunteers of Red Crescent have already evacuated seven wounded from the captive city of Homs to Syria’s Al Amin Hospital. They have also managed to shift twenty other unhurt Syrians to safety.

The beginning of evacuation has provided some measure of relief to ordinary Syrians who have been held captive for days under intense shelling and gun fire. The Red Cross has expressed that they would request Syrian authorities for a two-hour break each day to carry out humanitarian aid in the affected parts of the country, including Homs. It has further stated that their relief work would include every sick and injured in Syria who needs medical attention.

Red Crescent vehicles are to reach Syria to start evacuation of all foreign journalists who have entered the country incognito. It has been claimed that an armed group in Syria has refused to hand over bodies of two slain journalists and an injured one to the International rescue team unless ordinary Syrians are taken to safety.

But the immediate challenge before the humanitarian aid workers in Syria are reaching out to people with food and medical help which are of real scarcity. Even if shelling stops, the horrors of Syria crisis is going to take years to come before it starts disappearing from the mind of its people.