U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday ordered sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his deputy, the prime minister and several other senior government officials.

Obama said in his executive order that the additional steps were taken in response to Syrian government's "continuing escalation of violence against the people of Syria -- including through attacks on protesters, arrests and harassment of protesters and political activists, and repression of democratic change, overseen and executed by numerous elements of the Syrian government."

Under his order, Syrian President al-Assad, Vice President Farouk al-Shara, Prime Minister Adel Safar, Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar, Defense Minister Ali Habib Mahmoud, Head of Syrian Military Intelligence Abdul Fatah Qudsiya and Director of Political Security Directorate Mohammed Dib Zaitoun are put under U.S. sanctions effective on Wednesday noon, under which their assets on U.S. soil are frozen.

Obama also authorized his secretaries of treasury and state to target more senior Syrian officials and entities for sanctions.

"The actions the administration has taken today send an unequivocal message to President al-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 of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. "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."

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet