UN Says Syria Hasn't Let It Into Protest City Of Deraa - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

The United Nations says Syria has blocked assess to the southern city of Deraa, site of bloody antigovernment protests.

The UN wants to send teams into Derra and other protest cities to assess the situation.

A UN spokesman, Farhan Haq, said the UN is seeking clarification from the government of President Bashar al-Assad, who reportedly agreed to such a mission last week with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Meanwhile, Syrian forces have tightened their gripped on the city of Homs, reportedly positioning snipers on buildings and rounding up hundreds more activists.

At least 800 civilians are believed to have been killed since unrest broke out in Syria in March.

Meanwhile, the European Union has officially adopted an arms embargo and sanctions against 13 Syrian officials deemed responsible for the regime's crackdown on protesters.

The EU said in a statement that the embargo and the sanctions will come into force on May 10.
 
The sanctions include a visa ban and assets freeze and targets 13 officials and associates of the Syrian regime identified as responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria.

compiled from agency reports