Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: What Will Happen With Today's Protests?

Protesters hang an effigy of Syrian President Assad in Naseeb in Daraa Province

See also Kuwait Feature: Explaining This Week's Occupation of Parliament
Bahrain Interview: Former MP Matar Ibrahim Matar on His Detention and The Country's Future
Thursday's Syria, Kuwait (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Another Meeting, Another Occupation, More Deaths

Syria Video Special: Friday's Protests Across the Country

Syria Video and Analysis: The Free Syria Army Counter-Attacks in Homs

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2123 GMT: According to the LCCS, 22 people have been killed today in Syria, including 4 children, 7 civilians in Daraa, 6 in Homs, 5 in Hama, 4 in people in the Damascus Suburbs (2 in Irbee, and 1 in Yabroud and Daraya.)

2110 GMT: According to Now Lebanon,

A YouTube video purportedly filmed on Friday in Homs shows protestors during an evening march with one demonstrator carrying a paper saying: “The people want support [to be offered to] the Free Syrian Army and Arab protection.”

2104 GMT: Activists have posted a photo gallery of a single funeral in Idlib city, just a small portion of the larger crowds that were protesting today. Here's a single pic, the head of the funeral, to give an impression of the scale:

2045 GMT: We've seen hundreds of videos of large protests across Syria today, and those protests continue well into the night. This shows a group of protesters, we believe in Kalamoun (MAP):

Tel Shehab, Daraa province (MAP):

>p>The embattled city of Homs:

2035 GMT: This is Egypt, Tahrir Square, but note how many Syrian flags can be heard amongst the chants against Syrian President Bashar al Assad:

2030 GMT: Two videos reportedly show police firing tear gas, and possibly bullets, at protesters who respond by throwing stones at the police in Izaz, Aleppo, Syria (MAP):

2027 GMT: Another sad video from Syria. This one, taken from a different angle than our previous video, shows protesters removing two bodies from the streets in Irbeen, Damascus:

2019 GMT: Another activist shares this video (which we covered last month) showing police brandishing these iron "skewers." At the time, a source in Bahrain chuckeld that the police were accusing the protesters of throwing these objects, but now there was video evidence of the Bahraini police wielding them:

2011 GMT: Both our eyewitness reports and the pictures and videos we've seen suggest large rallies in Bahrain, and a large presence of women at the protests. This photo shows a group of women in A'ali:

Activists are also reporting that a woman was hit in the eye with a piece of iron. The government, however, via Bahrain News Agency, has a different report (with a picture), that "rioters" are to blame:

Manama-Nov18 (BNA) A Bahraini lady was critically injured after a piece of iron lodged inside her forehead. About 50 people took to the streets at 0.4:50 pm in Al-Daih and staged an unlicensed rally.

"The rioters committed acts of sabotage and hurled pieces of iron, critically injuring the lady", Northern Police director said. The woman was rushed to Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) to undergo treatment.

An EA source in Bahrain responds to the claims:

"MOI posted that link, HR activists got the chance 2 visit her, so waiting for them to confirm the real story"

EA will keep you updated.

2007 GMT: Night may have fallen, but the reports of violence, particularly in Homs, continue to pour in:

Homs: Hawleh: Heavy shooting in the city to terrorize the people

Homs: Fall of a number of wounded in Khaldiyeh's demonstration, some of them have serious injuries from being shot by security and Shabiha

1947 GMT: Activists upload this video, reportedly showing the police arresting a man in Douma:

Arrests and house-to-house raids are reported across the country today. There are so many reports of arrests that if we were to document every report of arrests that we've received, it would be the only thing we blogged about. While many of the reports are coming from heavily embattled places, like Homs, Hama, and Daraa, many are also coming from the suburbs of Damascus. In the latest reports, the LCCS is reporting house-to-house raids and gunfire in Maddamiyah (MAP). Even more important, The LCCS has this report from the Sadat neighborhood in the center of Damascus (MAP):

Damascus: Arrest of young woman Kholoud Asrawy from the demonstration in Sadat area in Damascus this afternoon

1920 GMT: The LCCS reports that 20 people have been killed across Syria, including, "four children, seven martyrs in Daraa, five martyrs in Hama, four martyrs in both of Homs and Damascus Suburb, two martyrs in Erbeen and 1 martyr each in Yabroud and Daraya."

1908 GMT: We received this picture of today's rally in Bahrain for an activist with whom we're not as familiar. Surprised by the size of the rally, we ran it through our other sources who have confirmed that this was taken today, a very large and resurgent opposition in Bahrain:

1850 GMT: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports a high profile death in Homs, a university professor whom they say was "assassinated":

Last night, Dr Mohammed Farhan Abu Al-Khayer, the lecturer at Al-Baath University, was assassinated in gunfire in front of his house, near the Cultural Centre, in the neighbourhood of Al-Mahata in Homs.

1837 GMT: The Sham News Network posts this video, reportedly showing the syrian military firing on mourners outside a mosque in Daraa:

1821 GMT: Another massively important video from Syria. Reportedly taken today in Tafas, Daraa (MAP), the video starts with a familiar scene. People, hiding in side streets, chant protest slogans as the army deploys down the street towards the peaceful protests. This is where the scene develops, as the army advances too close, or as it opens fire (unclear who fires first), the cameraman scans down to reveal a defected soldier taking position. The defectors then open fire on the army, literally "protecting the protesters" as they have pledged:

Is this the future of "peaceful" protests in Syria? Protests that start oeaceful but, when attacked, fight back?

1810 GMT: An update on a report that we posted at 0845 GMT. The Canadian hosting service, iWeb, is examining allegations that its services have been used to host of support Syrian websites, and is close to taking action in at least a single case:

In 2008, iWeb inadvertently hosted two websites affiliated with Hezbollah. When iWeb learned of the websites’ affiliation, it cancelled its web hosting services.

Canada has enacted targeted sanctions against certain Syrian government entities and individuals. Canada has not enacted a broad embargo against doing business with Syria.

The Citizen lab report identified a number of Syrian government entities for which the internet address resolves directly or indirectly to iWeb. With one exception, none of the listed entities are subject to Canadian sanctions. The exception is Addunia T.V. which was listed as a sanctioned entity on October 3, 2011. iWeb has not provided any services directly to Addunia T.V. and is investigating whether its facilities have been used by one of its customers for the benefit of Addunia T.V. without its knowledge. iWeb will be taking all appropriate steps in light of its findings.

1759 GMT: An EA correspondent in Bahrain reports that there are protests in many villages around the country, many of which are being attacked and disrupted by police. The source also shares this video.

The small march in Daih village today that got attacked brutally by government mercenaries:

1750 GMT: Al Jazeera reports on "expel the ambassadors" Friday, the Sham Hawks brigade, and the prospect of foreign intervention in Syria:

1728 GMT: France 24 interviews a soldier in the Syrian Free Army:

We have soldiers hidden on the outskirts of several cities: Daraa, Damascus, Homs, Hama, Idlib, Lattakia, Dair Alzour and Banias. It is hard to say exactly how many.

We only accept defectors from the regular army. The only civilians we have agreed to include are activists hiding from the regime, who risk execution if they are found.

Our main problem is that we lack weapons. All we have are AK-47s [assault rifles] and a few RPG-7s [rocket-propelled grenades]. These weapons were all stolen from the regular army. For now, we are unable to smuggle weapons from outside countries.

With this kind of equipment, we are able to slow down the advance of [Syrian President] Bashar al Assad’s troops, but we can’t really stop them. Regular citizens expect great things from us, but at the present time, we would be unable to take control of a neighbourhood, let alone a city. For now, we stick to quick one-shot operations, like the one Tuesday in Damascus. For us, this operation required months of training.

1637 GMT: The rally is over in Cairo, and political parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood, have asked their protesters to leave, but some are asking for a sit-in, sparking much debate on Twitter and beyond as to the purpose or usefulness of a sit-in protest. This picture was taken 5 minutes ago, as the crowd has started to disperse:

1628 GMT: This video reportedly shows Syrian military trying to beat and/or arrest a protester in the important Damascus suburb of Douma (MAP):

1614 GMT: A senior commander of the Syrian Free Army has called for an international no fly zone in two regions of Syria:

The group wants a buffer zone in the north, on the Turkish- Syrian border, and another in the south near the border with Jordan to help them bring the fight closer to Assad, Riad al As’ad, a former Syrian colonel who leads the Free Syrian Army, said in a phone interview from Turkey today.

“Our operations are increasing and we will reach the presidential palace,” As’ad said. “The regime is going to fall. It may take longer if there is no international foreign assistance, but it’s not going to stay. It’s finished.”

There are some interesting things to parse from this statement. The first, it is specific, a proposal drafted by a military commander who has knowledge of the feasibility of such an action. This proposal would protect the north of Syria (Homs, Idlib, Deir Ez Zor, ect), a hotbed of defections and protests. This particular zone would be enforced from Turkey, which has shown more and more signs that it is willing to contemplate the establishment of some sort of intervention, from more sanctions to a no-fly zone. The southern zone would protect Daraa, and even threaten Damascus.

This call is also directly aimed at the international community and Syria's neighbors. Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey are specifically being asked to participate, but so is the larger international community. Even if the SFA is not successful in procuring a no-fly zone, the call for one will strengthen international support, particularly just over the border in Lebanon.

1603 GMT: More claims by members of the Syrian regime that they are willing to cooperate with the Arab League:

Syria has agreed “in principle” to allow an Arab League observer mission into the country, but Damascus was still studying the details, a senior Syrian official said Friday.

The 22-member Arab League formally suspended Damascus this week over its crackdown on an 8-month-old uprising, which the U.N. estimates has killed more than 3,500 people. The group wants to send hundreds of observers to the country to try to help end the bloodshed.

The Syrian official said Damascus has agreed to the mission but was still going over the details of the deal. The official asked not to be named because the issue is so sensitive.

It's possible that the regime is willing to make this concession, as Syria has received an extremely large amount of international pressure in recent days. However, the regime is already calling for changes in the proposed deal with the Arab League, suggesting that Assad will likely only agree to highly limited and controlled observers.

1556 GMT: Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians have rallied today in Tahrir Square, demanding a quick transition to democracy:

That message is carried by both the size and the unity of the November 18 demonstration. The numbers appear comparable to the rallies on July 8 and July 29. Activists have been unable to produce such a turnout in nearly five months, despite calling for "millions" to protest on almost a weekly basis. The Islamists put their organizational weight and numbers into this demonstration, as they did on July 29, while a wide range of other activist groups and political trends threw their support behind the demonstration. The images from Tahrir today reveal a turnout comparable to those other massive protest days. The SCAF will have to conclude that the street can still challenge them.

The Guardian adds that the protests were in many cities, not just Cairo, and many potential candidates for President have made appearances:

As well as Cairo and Alexandria, demonstrations have also taken place in the Eygptian cities of Suez, Aswan, Menoufiya and Beheira, reports Ahram Online. It says that each of these demonstrations has been organised by Islamists/Salifists.

One of those who addressed the crowds in Tahrir was Tarek El-Zomor, convicted in 1982 for his involvement in the assassination of former president Anwar El-Sadat and released earlier this year. He was on the Muslim Brotherhood stage - there are apparently five different stages, four of them belonging to Islamist groups. Ahram said he stressed "that it has became clear that the SCAF is not planning to hand over power, adding that he is ready to martyr himself in the square in defence of the revolution's demands".

Four presidential candidates have also been spotted in the square - Abdel Munim Fotouh, Selim El-Awa, Ayman Nour and Hazem Abu Isla. Egyptian blogger Zeinobia says another - Bothania Kamel - is on her way.

1550 GMT: Yemen has once again seen large scale protests. This first video shows a truly massive protest at a funeral in Taiz, Yemen's second largest city:

A prayer ceremony for women who have been killed by the Yemeni government in recent conflict in Hajjah:

1538 GMT: Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has made a confusing statement, calling for "restraint" as the UN Security Council debates another resolution on Syria:

"We are ready to work with the international community, but we urge restraint and cautiousness," Putin told Russian news agencies when asked whether Russia is going to support a U.N. resolution.

However, Putin added that Russia is not going to "ignore opinions of our partners and will cooperate with everyone."

This week, the opposition met with Russian leaders in Moscow but got nothing, and the Russian government said that it will honor arms contracts with Syria. So I'm not sure what Putin meant when he said that Russia would not "ignore opinions of [Russian] partners.

1529 GMT: US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has said that she is is disappointed with Bashar al Assad's lack of reforms, adding that his military campaign is unsustainable:

We heard what Assad said about what he wanted to do for reform. But when it came to it, in the Arab Spring and as people actually demanded some freedom and their rights, he responded, as we have seen, very violently.

But he’s not going to be able to sustain what is a unfortunately growing armed opposition apparently fueled and maybe led by defectors from his army. It’s probably too late for him to change course, but there needs to be a change at the top of that government and there needs to be an effort to engage in genuine dialogue and start on the path of reform.

1513 GMT: A protester holds a sign with today's date, and gunfire can be heard. The LCCS says that this is Cairo street, Homs:

1505 GMT: Dramatic news from the LCCS about Hara, Daraa:

Daraa: Hara: 7 martyrs including 3 children after huge shelling since today’s morning using heavy and medium weapons. All internet and telecommunication services are cut off. Despite the curfew that the security forces announced, the people in the town demonstrated calling to topple the regime and to expel its ambassadors

1458 GMT: Activists describe a huge rally in Idlib, Syria, where activists are calling on countries to expel their Syrian ambassadors:

1443 GMT: The LA Times has a fascinating interview with the commander of thew Syrian Free Army, Ahmed al-Arabi, who was talking to them while inside Lebanon. Among many interesting details in the article, al-Arabi says that the SFA is trying to refrain from targeting the military and has instead focused on attacking "Shabiha," plain-clothed Assad loyalists who volunteered for the post:

According to Arabi, the defectors refrain from attacking army soldiers, mostly young Sunni conscripts deployed against a rebellion that has taken root among Syria's Sunni majority.

"The army are sons of the people," says Arabi, who contends that morale among the troops has plummeted, creating fertile ground for defections. "The army is not holding together.... It's better to keep communication with the soldiers in the regime's army and have them leave and defect to us — even if that takes longer."

The LA Times counters that the government claims that over 1000 soldiers have been killed. We're not that moved by that argument, because many soldiers appear to have been shot by the military itself when they refused to shoot protesters.

However, this account by Arabi directly counters recent news, that a military installation has been attacked in Idlib, the air force intelligence building was attacked in Harasta, and today's news that the FSA has launched an attack on Assad's tanks in Homs.

However, we don't know when the interview was held, even though the article was published today, but Arab adds a potential explanation:

"The strategy changes every hour."

1437 GMT: The Local Coordinating Committees of Syria are now reporting that 16 people have been killed in Syria today, including "three children, seven martyrs in Daraa, four martyrs in Hama, three martyrs in Damascus Suburb, two martyrs in Erbeen and a martyr in Yabroud, [and] two martyrs in Homs."

1429 GMT: Syrian State TV is also reporting that two soldiers have been killed in an explosion in Hama. This report hasn't been confirmed, but could mean several things. When soldiers are reportedly shot, sometimes the Syrian opposition reports that they were killed when they refused to shoot at protests, a pattern confirmed by many defecting soldiers. However, a report that the soldiers were killed in an explosion suggests that there may also be a SFA campaign in Hama, as well as Homs.

1418 GMT: It looks like the US is co-ordinating its approach on Syria with France and Turkey. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has paralleled the rhetorical pressure from the French and Turkish Foreign Ministers with these comments:

[President Assad] is not going to be able to sustain what is a unfortunately growing armed opposition apparently fueled and maybe led by defectors from his army....

Many of the members of Congress of both parties who have gone to Syria in recent months have said they believe he’s a reformer. We had hoped so because there was a lot at stake, we wanted to see an agreement, for example, between Syria and Israel.

We heard what Assad said about what he wanted to do for reform. But when it came to it, in the Arab Spring and as people actually demanded some freedom and their rights, he responded, as we have seen, very violently.....It’s probably too late for him to change course, but there needs to be a change at the top of that government and there needs to be an effort to engage in genuine dialogue and start on the path of reform.”

1411 GMT: A potentially game-changing video from Syria. Activists are claiming that this footage from today shows a Free Syrian Army counter-attack against Assad's army in the Bab Amro section of Homs. A regime tank appears to suffer a direct hit:

1405 GMT: Now we have some confirmation of the last report, as a reliable source posts this:

#Arbeen #Damascus suburbs: two people killed by gunfire form Assad forces on a peaceful demonstration 18-11-2011

1358 GMT: James Miller takes the liveblog. As of right now in Syria, there are reports of violence where we'd expect them, more shelling of Homs, particularly the Baba Amr district, and shelling of Ma'arrat an Nouman and the surrounding towns in Idlib province, where at least 21 are injured, including several children.

However, there is a potentially significant development in Damascus, according to the LCCS (MAP):

Damascus suburbs: Erbin: Security forces are surrounding protesters at Al-Kabeer mosque and shooting them directly

1355 GMT: The opposition Local Coordinating Committees are claiming that 11 people have been killed by security forces in Syria today.

1345 GMT: We are awaiting the report of an EA correspondent, who was at the "For Democracy" rally organised by Bahrain's five major opposition groups.

Meanwhile, demonstrators in Al A'ali have put up a miniature version of the monument of Pearl Roundabout, which was demolished by the regime after security forces overran the protest camp on the roundabout in mid-March.

1245 GMT: Claimed footage of the Syrian military moving through Taseel in Daraa Province in the south:

1225 GMT: Activists say Syrian security forces have slain at least five people and wounded dozens today.

Among those killed was a 14 year-old protester in the southern city of Deraa. Others were shot in the Damascus suburb of Irbeen, Homs, and the Hama countryside.

1205 GMT: We have moved videos of protests across Syria today to a separate feature,

Syria Video Special: Friday's Protests Across the Country

1145 GMT: Another image of the mass gathering in Tahrir Square in the Egyptian capital Cairo, with the crowd holding a large Syrian flag:

A bird's-eye video glimpse of the crowd:

1135 GMT: The French and Turkish Foreign MInisters, at a joint press conference, have stepped up the rhetorical pressure on Syria.

France's Alain Juppe said sanctions must be strengthened, as "the situation is no longer sustainable...[Damascus] was not willing to implement a reform programme and now it is too late". Turkey's Ahmet Davutoğlu said steps had to be taken to stop the "massacre".

1055 GMT: LiveStream of Friday Prayers from Tahrir Square in Cairo --- the prayer leader, "Let the men of the old regime know that their attempts to incite us to violence will fail":

1040 GMT: Omar Idlibi, a Lebanon-based Syrian activist, claims that regime forces have shelled Ma'arat al-Numan in the northwest near the Turkish border.

Idlibi said security forces had killed eight people in overnight raids in Homs Province.

1030 GMT: The gathering in Tahrir Square in the Egyptian capital Cairo at 11:30 a.m. --- protests against the country's military rulers are expected after Friday Prayers:

0850 GMT: After a campaign launched by activists on Twitter, Reuters has moved Mohamed Sudam, who has reported from Yemen for the agency for "many years", to Cairo.

Sudam is also a translator for President Saleh. Reuters initially held out against the campaign but now states, "On reviewing the matter, we believe it’s not appropriate to use a stringer who is also working for the government."

0845 GMT: A Canadian report highlights that "websites of the Syrian government, including the Ministries of Culture, Transport, and others, are hosted on Canada-based web servers through intermediary companies". One of the named outlets using the servers is Syrian TV station Addounia, which is sanctioned by Canada and the European Union for inciting violence against Syrian citizens.

0625 GMT: There will be protests today throughout Syria, as there have been on almost every Friday since the uprising against the Assad regime began on 15 March. There will be cases where  the security forces fire on those marches. 

But this is the question that James Miller and I are pondering: will the armed challenge to the regime, which has made itself known this week through increasingly brazen attacks on military and political targets, include protection of the protests today, firing back if necessary?

Security forces in a Damascus suburb fire on protesters in front of a police station, as they call for the release of detainees: