The EU on Monday (July 17th) imposed sanctions against 16 more high-ranking military Syrian officials and scientists over chemical weapons attacks on civilians, AFP reported.

The move by the bloc's foreign ministers brings the number of people now facing a travel ban and an assets freeze over the regime’s violent crackdown on civilians during the war to 255.

"The EU added these 16 persons for their role in the development and use of chemical weapons against the civilian population," an EU statement said.

The EU will release the names of those hit by the sanctions on Tuesday, it said.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the UN’s chemical watchdog, last month concluded that sarin was used as a chemical weapon in the April 4th attack in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun.

At least 87 people, including children, were killed in the attack.

Syria is already subject to an oil embargo, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Syrian central bank held in the EU, as well as export restrictions.

It also is under sanctions on equipment and technology that might be used for internal repression as well as on equipment and technology for the monitoring or interception of internet or telephone communications.