European Union diplomats say member nations have agreed to tighten sanctions on Syria, hours after an Arab League committee charged with implementing sanctions targeted Syria's rich and powerful.

EU officials said Thursday they added 11 more entities and 12 more individuals to a blacklist hit by travel bans and asset freezes imposed in an effort to stop the Syrian government's bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters.

An Arab League committee in Cairo released a list of 17 Syrians banned from traveling to Arab states. Those banned include the brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the country's richest businessman and top Cabinet ministers.

Officials say the list and other recommendations will be presented to Arab League members meeting in Doha on Sunday.

The Arab League has been trying to convince the Syrian government to ease its violent crackdown on an uprising by demonstrators.

League member Kuwait on Thursday urged its nationals to leave Syria due to safety concerns. The move follows mob attacks in Damascus on the embassies of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE after the Arab League decided to suspend Syria's membership.

Syria has refused to end the crackdown, calling it a necessary response to attacks by “armed terrorists” on civilians and security personnel.

The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold an urgent meeting in Geneva Friday to discuss the situation in Syria. The U.N. says violence related to the uprising has killed at least 3,500 people, mostly civilians.