DOHA - The Arab League's ministerial meeting on Saturday approved a travel ban on Syrian high-ranking officials and a freeze of their assets, the Qatar news agency QNA reported.

The Arab ministers held the meeting in Qatar's capital Doha to review recommendations by the technical committee, the body assigned to draw up final details of the sanctions on Syria over its crackdown on protests.

The ministerial committee also approved an arms embargo on Syria, and reduced flights between Syria and other countries by 50 percent.

Besides, the committee asked Arab Red Crescent societies to draw up an emergency plan in the hope of accommodating the humanitarian needs of Syrian people.