EU extends Syria sanctions

More amateur footage emerged from Syria on Monday of the weekend crackdown on dissent in the city of Hama.

Syrian tanks continued to shell residential areas killing at least four civilians and bringing the death toll from the latest assault to 84.

Hama has become a key area for the revolt against the ruling party. It was the city where President Bashar al-Assad’s father crushed a revolt 29 years ago, killing many thousands of people.

Until this year, few Syrians were willing to challenge the Assad family rule.

The EU extended sanctions against government officials on Monday, which increased the number of people impacted by a travel ban and asset freezes to 35.

The Syrian state news agency said the military was helping to purge armed groups that were terrorising citizens. But that was dismissed as “nonsense” by a US diplomat in Damascus.

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