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Monday
Oct172011

Syria, Yemen (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The "New Normal" of Daily Deaths

A fighter for Libya's National Transitional Council plays guitar while battle rages in Sirte (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)

See also Middle East Video: US Embassy Promotes Opposition's "Support Yemen" Campaign


1930 GMT: Videos of protest and clashes across Syria today....

In Homs, where 21 people reportedly died, bystanders shelter from gunfire:

Female protesters chant anti-Assad slogans during a protest in Dael in the south:

And a demonstration tonight in Tadmor, in sympathy with the victims in Homs:

1905 GMT: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has claimed, "Twenty-one people, some civilians and others police officers, were killed in Homs on Monday during operations by the army and the security services in several neighbourhoods of the city."

The Observatory earlier said that seven soldiers were killed in clashes with gunmen suspected of being army defectors in Homs Province (see 1350 GMT).

1725 GMT: Claimed footage from Bani Jamra in Bahrain of protesters runing from the fire of police hiding behind walls:

And a policeman throws a tear gas canister at women in Mehaza:

1715 GMT: Reporters Without Borders has condemned the death of Al-Yemen TV cameraman Abd Al-Ghani Al-Bureihi, who was slain on Sunday when regime forces fired on protesters in the Yemeni capital Sana'a.

Al-Bureihi is the sixth journalist killed in Yemen since pro-democracy protests began in February.

1705 GMT: Jordan's King Abdullah II has named Awn al-Khasawneh, a deputy chief of the Hague-based International Court of Justice, as Prime Minister.

Abdullah II reportedly instructed al-Khasawneh to open dialogue with opposition figures who want political reform.

The opposition's Muslim Brotherhood was receptive to the move, "We were hoping that the Cabinet would be sacked, and we wish the prime minister-designate success in serving Jordan and its people."

Al-Khasawneh succeeds Marouf al-Bakhit, who resigned on Monday after a majority of legislators called for his removal. Al-Bakhit had been criticised for dragging his feet in implementing reforms and had been accused of corruption during a tenure as Prime Minister from 2005 to 2007.

1655 GMT: Is this an admission by the Bahraini regime that, after its backing of supporters on the Internet and its expenditure on international public-relations firms, it is not winning the information battle? The head of the regime's Information Affairs Authority says, "We are...looking at the laws for social media."

And there is this complaint from the IAA: "Another issue is Twitter. Opposition work late nights while we end at 10 p.m. We need more access to info to share it on a grassroots level."

1355 GMT: Al Jazeera English reporters say that most of Bani Walid, one of the last two strongholds of former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, is now in the hands of fighters of the National Transitional Council.

1350 GMT: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims, "Five soldiers were killed and others wounded as a result of clashes pitting the army and security forces against gunmen believed to be defectors at a checkpoint near the town of Qurayn in Homs Province."

The activists said about "20 soldiers fled to the surrounding orchards" while 17 were wounded.

1320 GMT: In his summary of yesterday's fighting and deaths in the Yemeni capital Sana'a, Tom Finn has this poignant note: "Protesters in Change Square have started scribbling their names and dates of birth across their chests before they march so that their bodies can be identified if they are killed."

0650 GMT: Will Qatari officials be advising the National Transitional Council on Libya's reconstruction of the judicial system?

Qatar and the NTC signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday for cooperation between the public prosecution offices in both countries. The memo urges the two sides to exchange information with each other on laws, regulations, rules and criminal justice systems of each side as well as bilateral cooperation in the training of staff working in the Attorney General's offices.

0640 GMT: A Syrian television station that supports former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said Monday that Qaddafi's son Khamis had died in fighting on 29 August.

Khamis Qaddafi commanded the elite 32nd Brigade. Arrai television announced that he and Qaddafi's cousin and intelligence chief, Mohammed Abdullah Senussi, were killed during a battle with National Transitional Council forces in the city of Tarhouna, 90 kilometres (57 miles) southeast of Tripoli.

Arrai, which has broadcast audio messages from Muammar Qaddafi and his spokesman since the fall of the regime in August, posted pictures of Khamis and Senousi and broadcast verses of the Koran.

NTC military officials said in August that Khamis was killed in Tarhouna and buried in the city of Bani Walid but there was no confirmation at the time from Qaddafi loyalists.

0500 GMT: The nightly ritual of protests in Bahrain included a demonstration in Sanabis calling for the release of political prisoners:

And this gathering in Nabih Saleh:

0445 GMT: Activists claim that at least nine people died at the hands of security forces in Syria on Sunday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four civilians died in Homs when security forces opened fire on a protest outside the home of a detained activist, Mansur al-Arassi. Two other people were killed outside a mosque in the Khaldiyeh section by attackers who opened fire from a vehicle. Almost 40 people were wounded in the incidents.

In the Damascus region, one person was killed in  Zabadani as a crowd left a mosque and called for the release of detainees. Earlier, security forces arrested 25 people, including three young women.

Two people were killed in Khan Sheikhoun in the northwest when security forces fired live rounds to break up a protest.

In Yemen, at least 12 people --- five protesters and seven soldiers with the opposition --- were killed by regime forces yesterday, reportedly by sniper fire and shrapnel from rocket-propelled grenades. At least 17 protesters and several opposition troops were slain on Saturday.

Sounds of gunfire in the Hasaba section of the Yemeni capital Sana'a last night:

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