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Sunday
Nov132011

Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: More Die as Embassies Are Stormed

Police clash with protesters after breaking up a march in Nabeeh Saleh in Bahrain on Friday night

See also Bahrain Video Diary, Part 1: The Freedom Torch Marches Across the Country
Saturday's Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Another Day of the "New Normal"


1955 GMT: One protester was killed and 12 others injured on Sunday when Egyptian security forces clashed with protesters staging a sit-in for the sixth day against the expansion of the MAPCO-Agrium fertilizer plant in Damietta.

Confrontations began on Saturday night and continued into early Sunday morning, with security forces using tear gas bombs to disperse protesters.

1940 GMT: Yemen's Deputy Minister of Information Abdo al-Janadi said in a news conference on Sunday that President Saleh has agreed to entrust his Vice President with forming a national unity government, but he made no mention of Saleh resigning.

The opposition is not impressed. A senior figure said, "Saleh wants to preserve all his powers until the election of a new president. That is rejected by the opposition, and because of this the UN envoy's mission is going to fail."

United Nations envoy Jamal Benomar, who failed in two weeks of shuttle diplomacy in September to make any progress, returned to Yemen last week. Under an "operational mechanism" proposed by Benomar, Saleh would step down immediately, triggering the formation of a national unity government ahead of early Presidential elections, as well as a body to restructure the armed forces.

Deputy Minister of Information Janadi also blamed violence that has killed at least 17 people over the past two days in Taiz on a "dangerous escalation" instigated by armed members of the opposition. Witnesses, residents and medical staff have blamed shelling by regime forces.

1627 GMT: Claimed footage of the moment that security forces opened fire on a march in Hama, killing at least four people today:

One of the fallen being put into a car:

1625 GMT: An aid convoy, organised by residents of Idlib in northwest Syria, sets off for the city of Homs, under sustained military shelling over the last two weeks:

1535 GMT: An Egyptian military court has ordered the renewal of prominent activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah's detention for another 15 days, pending investigation into charges that he incited violence and assaulting military personnel during clashes on 9 October in Cairo.

Abd El-Fattah maintained his objection to the military investigation, refusing to respond to the prosecution's questioning. Activists blame the military for the 28 deaths during the fighting, which took place when a Christian march was attacked in front of the State TV building.

Abd-El Fattah maintained his defiance as he was being returned to prison, chanting from inside the police vehicle, “Down with the SCAF”, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

The retrial of blogger Maikel Nabil has been postponed to 27 November. Nabil was sentenced by a military court in April to three years for defaming the Egyptian Army after writing a blog post entitled "The Army and the people were never one hand."

In another court session, 11 protesters were acquitted over demonstrations outside the Ministry of Defence headquarters on 30 September.

1520 GMT: Activists claim at least 11 people have been killed in shootings by security forces in Syria today, four of them in Hama.

Meanwhile, thousands of people rallied for the regime against the Arab League's suspension of Syria, with demonstrations in Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia, Tartous and Hasakeh. One banner read, "You Arab leaders are the tails of Obama."

The Assad regime called for an urgent Arab League summit, inviting its officials to visit and saying they can bring observers to oversee implementation of their plan for ending the bloodshed.

Contrasting images of the day's events --- anti-regime protesters flee from the gunfire in Hama:

Young people splash in a fountain in Damascus during a pro-regime rally (Photo: Louai Beshara of AFP):

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1510 GMT: Footage of a mass funeral procession in Taiz in Yemen for an 8- year-old child killed by regime forces on Friday:

Footage of a rally in Taiz demanding that killers be brought to justice:

Claimed footage of a general strike in the city:

1500 GMT: Back from a weekend break to find a juxtaposition of fiction and reality over reality. First, opposition activists stage the "questioning" of a detainee:

The real Bahraini police carrying out a detention in Sitra last night:

1019 GMT: The head of the opposition Syrian National Council, Burhan Ghalioun, has called on the Syrian people “to escalate the revolution” so they can “get rid” of the Assad regime “as soon as possible.”

Ghalioun called on international organizations, following the Arab League's suspension of Syria, to withdraw ambassadors from Damascus and to impose more sanctions.

1015 GMT: Egyptian police have used tear gas to disperse protesters early this morning, as they demonstrated over the alleged killing of a boatman by a police officer.

The family of the victim were involved in scuffles with security personnel, who responded by firing tear gas. Angry demonstrators blocked the road along the Nile.

Nubian boatman Mohamed Helal was reportedly shot by a policeman on the first day of the Islamic Eid Al-Adha holiday. He later died from his wounds.

0915 GMT: According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 13 people died in Idlib Province in northwest Syria on Saturday.

The news had a significant twist: nine of those who were slain were members of the security forces, pointed to the escalation of armed conflict in place of non-violent resistance.

That significance was overtaken, however, by the drama of regime supporters breaking into the Saudi Arabian and Qatari Embassies in Damascus. Angered at the Arab League's suspension of Damascus earlier in the day, the protesters raised the Syrian flag above the Qatari Embassy. Saudi State media said hundreds of people threw rocks at the Saudi mission, breaking windows and ransacking the building.

The French and Turkish consulates in the city of Latakia were also reportedly attacked, as well --- according to Turkish media --- the embassy in Damascus and consulate in Aleppo.

Pro-regime protesters raise the Syrian flag above the Qatari Embassy in Damascus

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