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Syria: US 'to impose sanctions on President Assad' Syria: US 'to impose sanctions on President Assad'
(about 1 hour later)
The US is to impose sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for human rights abuses, sources have said.The US is to impose sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for human rights abuses, sources have said.
It would be the first time Mr Assad has been targeted personally by the international community for his government's crackdown on protesters.It would be the first time Mr Assad has been targeted personally by the international community for his government's crackdown on protesters.
President Barack Obama last month imposed sanctions on his brother Maher, his cousin and an intelligence chief. President Barack Obama last month imposed sanctions on Mr Assad's brother Maher, his cousin and an intelligence chief.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday that the US would be taking "additional steps" against Syria. Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday the US would take further steps against Syria.
Mrs Clinton said the Syrian government had "embraced the worst tactics of their Iranian ally, and they have refused to honour the legitimate aspirations of their own people". Meanwhile, Mr Assad has said his security services made some mistakes in their handling of demonstrations, the al-Watan newspaper reported.
"President Assad talks about reform, but his heavy-handed, brutal crackdown shows his true intentions," she added. He attributed the shortcomings to a lack of experience with such situations, which he said would normally be the police's responsibility.
Mr Assad also "gave assurances that Syria had overcome the crisis" and that "events were coming to an end", the newspaper added.
The admission came as the BBC received new reports of attacks on civilians in Tal Kalakh, near the border with Lebanon, which has been besieged for several days. Activists say at least 27 people have died.
'Worst tactics'
The US officials said the sanctions punishing Mr Assad and six other senior Syrian officials for human rights abuses would be unveiled on Wednesday, a day before President Obama delivers a major speech on the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa.
The sanctions would freeze any assets they have in US jurisdiction and make it illegal for Americans to do business with them.
The US and EU have already imposed sanctions on senior figures close to Mr Assad, but have so far stopped short of targeting him specifically.
At a meeting with the EU's foreign policy chief on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mrs Clinton announced the US would be "taking additional steps in the days ahead" to pressure the Syrian authorities to allow peaceful protests.
"They have embraced the worst tactics of their Iranian ally, and they have refused to honour the legitimate aspirations of their own people in Syria," she said.
"President Assad talks about reform, but his heavy-handed, brutal crackdown shows his true intentions."
Human rights activists say more than 850 people have been killed and thousands arrested in the operation launched to quell dissent in March.
The Syrian government blames most of the violence on "armed criminal gangs", saying they have killed more than 120 soldiers and police.
The sanctions are expected to be announced before or during a major speech on the Middle East by President Obama on Thursday.The sanctions are expected to be announced before or during a major speech on the Middle East by President Obama on Thursday.