European Union states have imposed sanctions on Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as officials seek to increase pressure on Damascus to end its violent assault on anti-government strongholds.
Foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday also imposed asset freezes and bans on travel to the EU on several other family members including the Syrian leader's mother, and banned European companies from doing business with two additional Syrian entities, EU officials said.
A full list of sanctions targets will be made public on Saturday when the decision comes into force. EU diplomats said
the list included the Syrian president's wife Asma and family.
"She is on the list. It's the whole clan," one EU diplomat said.
Al Jazeera's Charlie Angela reports from London.
