BICOM

EU countries are expected to reach agreement on sanctions against Syria at a meeting of EU ambassadors planned to be held today. However, EU states have differences of opinion over whether the sanctions should include President Assad himself. The US imposed sanctions last week, but did not target Assad personally, reportedly hoping to leave him some room to change his policies.

The Syrian regime has deployed military forces in a number of locations across the country, in anticipation of expected renewed protests to take place today, the day of Muslim prayer.  Protest leaders have dubbed Friday the ‘day of martyrdom’ and have called on Syrians to take part in demonstrations across the country.  Over the last few days, troops and tanks have taken up positions around the towns of Homs, Banias and Rastan, all of which have seen large scale demonstrations since the start of the uprising against Assad’s rule. In the course of last week, with the world’s attention diverted by the killing of Osama Bin-Laden, Syrian forces carried out mass arrests in the southern town of Dera’a, and the old section of the town was shelled and machine-gunned by the 4^th Division of the Syrian army.  This formation, which consists solely of Alawi Syrians and is commanded by the president’s younger brother Maher, is considered to be among the most brutal and loyal of the forces available to Assad. It has played a key role in suppressing the protests.