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US tells Assad, leave if you can’t lead

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The US on Wednesday urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to lead a political transition or step down from power as it imposed sanctions on him.

“It is up to Assad to lead a political transition or to leave,” according to US government talking points distributed by the State Department.

The United States imposed sanctions on Assad and six other top aides for human rights abuses on Wednesday in a dramatic escalation of pressure on Syria to cease its brutal crackdown on protesters.

The move, announced by the Treasury Department, freezes any assets of the Syrian officials that are in the United States or otherwise fall within U.S. jurisdiction and it generally bars U.S. individuals and companies from dealing with them.

In addition to Assad, the Treasury said the sanctions would target Vice President Farouq al-Shara ( pictured with Assad, Prime Minister Adel Safar, Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar, Defense Minister Ali Habib as well as Abdul Fatah Qudsiya, the head of Syrian military intelligence, and Mohammed Dib Zaitoun, director of the political security directorate.

“The actions the administration has taken today send an unequivocal message to President Assad, the Syrian leadership, and regime insiders that they will be held accountable for the ongoing violence and repression in Syria,” said Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen said in a written statement.

“President al-Assad and his regime must immediately end the use of violence, answer the calls of the Syrian people for a more representative government, and embark upon the path of meaningful democratic reform,” he added.

Up to 850 people, including women and children, have been killed and at least 8,000 arrested in the Syrian regime’s crackdown on widespread protests, according to rights groups.

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7 responses to “US tells Assad, leave if you can’t lead”

  1. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    if his security forces and his army are defying his orders he needs to resign and leave immediatley to save his neck
    otherwise he would be held accountable for all those crimes against humanities ;if his security forces made mistakes he is responsible because he is there boss unless,
    if he resign nowif he could not controle them; the international community are going to prosecute only those regeme members and persons who are directley responsible for the killing of innocents syrian people women and children .and the icc will indicte them one by one and they will face justice,and if the us catch them they will be sentenced to life in prison for killing civilians,

  2. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    if his security forces and his army are defying his orders he needs to resign and leave immediatley to save his neck
    otherwise he would be held accountable for all those crimes against humanities ;if his security forces made mistakes he is responsible because he is there boss unless,
    if he resign nowif he could not controle them; the international community are going to prosecute only those regeme members and persons who are directley responsible for the killing of innocents syrian people women and children .and the icc will indicte them one by one and they will face justice,and if the us catch them they will be sentenced to life in prison for killing civilians,

  3. Avatar
    Anonymous

    if his security forces and his army are defying his orders he needs to resign and leave immediatley to save his neck
    otherwise he would be held accountable for all those crimes against humaties ;
    if he resign now the international community are going to prosecute only those regeme members and persons who are directley responsible for the killing of innocents syrian people women and children .and the icc will indicte them one by one and they will face justice,and if the us catch them they will be sentenced to life for killing civilians

  4. C S Avatar
    C S

    Good News: Syria’s state-run news agency said gunmen killed the head of the Political Security Agency in Homs, Colonel Mohammad Ibrahim al-Abdullah, in an ambush along with four of his assistants Tuesday.It said a group of young Syrians had announced they want to surrender themselves to the colonel personally, and that when he arrived to meet them, they opened fire, killing him instantly.

  5. C S Avatar
    C S

    Good News: Syria’s state-run news agency said gunmen killed the head of the Political Security Agency in Homs, Colonel Mohammad Ibrahim al-Abdullah, in an ambush along with four of his assistants Tuesday.It said a group of young Syrians had announced they want to surrender themselves to the colonel personally, and that when he arrived to meet them, they opened fire, killing him instantly.

  6. C S Avatar
    C S

    Good News: Syria’s state-run news agency said gunmen killed the head of the Political Security Agency in Homs, Colonel Mohammad Ibrahim al-Abdullah, in an ambush along with four of his assistants Tuesday.It said a group of young Syrians had announced they want to surrender themselves to the colonel personally, and that when he arrived to meet them, they opened fire, killing him instantly.

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