US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged all countries to cut their political and economic ties with Syria.

美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿敦促世界各国与叙利亚断绝政治、经济往来。

She said buying oil and gas from Syria and exporting arms there were giving President Bashar al-Assad "comfort in his brutality¹".

Mrs Clinton's comments came as large anti-government protests continued despite a harsh army crackdown.

Activists² said at least 16 people died on Friday as protesters came under fire in towns and cities across the country.

More than 1,700 people have died and tens of thousands have reportedly been arrested since the uprising against the 41-year rule of Mr Assad's family began in March.

Correspondents say there is little the US can do to directly pressure the Syrian regime, with which it has few ties or shared interests.

So Washington has been stepping up the pressure on Europe, Russia and China, to use the leverage³（手段，影响力） that they do have, and on Friday Mrs Clinton extended the pressure to all those with ties to Damascus.

"We urge those countries still buying Syrian oil and gas, those countries still sending Assad weapons, those countries whose political and economic support give him comfort in his brutality, to get on the right side of history," she said.

Washington has stopped short of calling for Mr Assad to stand down, instead seeking unity⁴ in the international community so Mr Assad cannot say it is only the US or the West that is against him,

But Mrs Clinton reiterated⁵（重申） the view that he has "lost the legitimacy⁶ to lead and it is clear that Syria would be better off without him".

The US has imposed sanctions against Damascus and has said these could be increased, while calling on other countries to follow.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait have all recalled their ambassadors from Damascus while Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has described the methods used by the Syrian security forces as "unacceptable".