Syria: At Least 16 Killed As EU Agrees Sanctions

A human rights group said Syrian security forces on Friday killed at least 16 people during widespread protests. According to the AP, thousands of Syrians held rallies Friday in major cities across the country, including the capital, Damascus, and its suburbs.

Ammar Qurabi, the head of the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria said the death toll has risen to 16 people nationwide.

Meanwhile, the European Union on Friday agreed sanctions against 13 senior Syrian officials involved in the regime’s crackdown on protests, but held off sanctioning President Bashar al-Assad. According to AFP, at Friday’s talks, ambassadors agreed to “work without delay on additional restrictive measures against people responsible for violent repression against civilians, and in particular to look fully at including the highest level of the Syrian leadership on the list.”