Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: After Another Deathful Friday
Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 17:021941 GMT: The Associated Press is reporting that the opposition fighters in Libya have made significant gains in the city of Az-Zawiya, but heavy fighting continues in the area:
A rebel force of about 200 fighters advancing from the south reached a bridge on Az-Zawiyah's southwestern outskirts, and some rebels pushed farther into the city's central main square.
They tore down the green flag of Gaddafi's regime from a mosque minaret and put up two rebel flags. An Associated Press reporter traveling with the rebels saw hundreds of residents rush into the streets, greeting the fighters with chants of "God is great."
Gaddafi's forces then counterattacked, unleashing rounds of heavy shelling and gunfire could be heard as rebels and government troops battled.
Regime snipers were firing down from rooftops on the rebels, said one resident, Abdel-Basset Abu Riyak, who joined to fight alongside the rebels when they entered the city. He said Gaddafi's forces were holed up in several pockets in the city and that there were reports of reinforcements coming from Tripoli, though there was no sign of them yet.
Speaking to the AP by telephone, Abu Riyak said residents were now joining up with the rebels' assault, saying, "95 percent of Az-Zawiyah's people are with the revolution."
"There is shooting from all sides," said another rebel, 23-year-old Ibrahim Akram. "The people joined us. Fierce clashes are still ongoing, but thank God our numbers are great." - Associated Press
1938 GMT: James Miller takes the blog for a few updates...
The Local Coordinating Committees of Syria have stated that 7 people have been killed today in Syria, "4 in Homs, 1 in Hama, 1 in Daraya and 1 in Latakia. Earlier, two deaths were reported in Latakia."
1700 GMT: After US President Barack Obama and Saudi King Abdullah had discussed the situation in Syria. the White House said in a statement:
The two leaders expressed their shared, deep concerns about the Syrian government's use of violence against its citizens and agreed that the Syrian regime's brutal campaign of violence against the Syrian people must end immediately.
See Also: Syria Feature: Hama, the City That Refused to Die
1645 GMT: Al-Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reports from al-Aziziya.
See Also: Sounds of a Revolution: The Music of Maher Zain (FOLEY)
1630 GMT: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says soldiers and Assad loyalists have raided Jousiyah village near the Lebanese border, carrying out arrests.
