The Arab League has drafted a series of sanctions that will be imposed on Syria after it ignored the League’s ultimatum to end the violence against its citizens or face penalties. The sanctions promulgated in Cairo on Saturday include cutting commercial ties with the government of Bashar Al-Asad (pictured), freezing its assets, slapping a travel ban on senior officials and cutting off commercial flights into Damascus. Dealings with Syria’s Central Bank would be affected, but in a way that does not harm the ability of the population to receive basic commodities. The sanctions would have been forestalled if President Al-Asad had agreed by Friday to allow the Arab League to send monitors. Two weeks ago, the League took the rare action of suspending Syria’s membership, but the move failed to have any impact on the regime. Iraq has expressed reservations about the sanctions package, voicing concern that it will harm Iraqi refugees in Syria. Meanwhile, the level of violence continues to escalate as trained soldiers defect from and take up arms against the Syrian army. Over the weekend, at least 47 soldiers loyal to Al-Asad have been reported killed in clashes with opposition forces. The rebel troops now claim to number at least 20,000.