Libya, Syria (and Beyond) Liveblog: The Fight for Zawiya

Libyan opposition launches new offensive as they advance towards towns of Gharyan and Az-Zawiyah... 

See Also, Syria Video Special: The Assault on Lattakia

Verifying Sources in the Era of Amateur Video (Zalman)

Yemen Special: Al Qaeda Making Ricin? (Schmitt/Shanker)

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1921 GMT: Lattakia is under attack, but both pro and anti-Assad protests took place in Damascus today. What are the pro-Assad protests like? One activist, Omar S. Dahi, visited a pro-Assad protest in the last month, out of curiosity, and this is what he found there:

"As I approached the main square, which had several hundred people in white shirts all carrying or wearing Syrian flags, with loud pro-Bashar music blaring from loudspeakers, I finally realized what fascism really looks like.

"The belief or claim by some opposition members outside the country that pro-regime demonstrations are entirely forced is not accurate. Many state (and private sector) employees are made to go, but many show up on their own and do not fit neatly into categories such as ‘regime beneficiary’ which some members of the opposition like to throw around.

"These were people, on their own will, coming to support a regime’s brutal crackdown by security forces that they themselves have long dreaded and despised. I saw and spoke with several people in attendance, all of whom insisted the events were necessary to ‘confront the conspiracy,’ to ‘preserve national unity’, and to ‘oppose extremists.’"

1906 GMT: We've uploaded a new video on our separate entry, showing security surrounding the Almhati mosque in Lattakia, preventing people from entering for Taraweeh prayers.

The LCCS now says 25 people were killed today in Lattakia, including 3 children.

1749 GMT: Reuters is now reporting that the Libyan opposition forces may have occupied the town of Surman, to the west of the embattled Zawiya. This is unconfirmed, but would potentially give the Libyan opposition forces the ability to flank Gaddafi's forces and cut off supply lines from Tunisia:

"The revolutionaries today entered the centre of Surman. They are now in full control of the town. There is no fighting there now," Abdulrahman, a rebel spokesman, told Reuters via telephone from the town of Zintan.

He said that 10 rebels were killed and 34 wounded in fighting for the town earlier in the day.

1745 GMT: A big thank you to Ali Yenidunya, who has taken us through the morning and afternoon. This is James Miller, reporting for duty.

Al Arabiya has now raises the death toll in Lattakia to 25 today, including a 2 year old girl.

1715 GMT: There is another video footage coming from Latakia which might be disturbing. Therefore, instead of embedding the video here, I am giving the link.

1645 GMT: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement that at least 23 people were killed and dozens of others wounded in Latakia. 

1630 GMT: Bahrain’s main Shia opposition group al-Wefaq says it will boycott parliamentary elections set to take place in September. 

1615 GMT: Ashraf al-Moqdad, a member of the Damascus Declaration, a Syrian opposition group, speaks to Al Jazeera.

1555 GMT: Video footage showing rebels leading towards the centre of Zawiyah while some activists claim that the southern part is free from government's snipers.

1540 GMT: Rebel fighters tell Reuters that they "control 70 per cent of Gharyan", a western town they attacked earlier today as part of the western offensive.

1510 GMT: Rebels flying their flag in Zawiyah.

1450 GMT: Activists say train services to and from Latakia province have been suspended.

1435 GMT: Jordanian Tareq Mohammed al-Khaldi, 20, died of his wounds on Sunday after he was hit by sniper fire last week in the Syrian city of Homs.

1430 GMT: It is reported that the number of Syrian refugees has decreased from 16.335 to some 7.103. Those still in Turkey are being housed in six temporary tent-sites set up by Turkish Red Crescent in Altinozu, Yayladagi, Reyhanli towns and Apaydin village of Turkey's southern province of Hatay.

1415 GMT: Rebels say they have lost a tank and four fighters in a "friendly fire" air strike during their attack on Az-Zawiyah. Rebel commander Bashir Ahmed Ali spoke to AFP:

Our forces are in control of the western and southern gates of Zawiyah, and have pushed three kilometres (1.8 miles) into the city.

Regime forces are in control of the east and main centre of the town, where snipers are stationed on top of many buildings. We have suffered many casualties from the snipers.

1400 GMT: Al-Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reports that mortars are landing close to the southern entrance of Zawiyah where the press was gathered and fighting is continuing in the city. 

1345 GMT: While Syrian navy is shelling Latakia, more video footages are coming.

This video has moved to our separate entry: Syria Video Special: The Assault on Lattakia

This video has moved to our separate entry: Syria Video Special: The Assault on Lattakia

1330 GMT: Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reports that rebels managed to take control of a key highway that links Tripoli to Tunisia, though central parts of the city remain contested.

1320 GMT: A doctor from Hama told BBC that two hospitals were closed and one had been stormed by troops, injuring many of the medical staff.

1315 GMT: Libya's government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim says that rebels are stopped and they are in full control of Az-Zawiyah.

1305 GMT: Residents of Hama were on the streets on Sunday morning.

1300 GMT: Syrian human rights groups, in a joint statement, have urged authorities to release the head of the Syrian League for the Defence of Human Rights, Abdel Karim Rihawi, who was arrested on Thursday in Damascus. The statement continued: 

Security forces are continuing mass arrests, in violation of the law, human rights and democratic freedoms, denying the rights of opposition figures and peaceful demonstrators.

1255 GMT: After Obama and Saudi King Abdullah's declaration on "shared deep concerns about the use of violence" in Syria, Prof. Scott Lucas says: 

I can't help thinking that this is further evidence, following Abdullah's televised speech last week criticising the Syrian regime and the withdrawal of Saudi, Kuwaiti, and Bahraini ambassadors from Damascus, of a co-ordinated approach between the US and the Gulf States.

That means constant and increasing political pressure on the Assad regime, but it also has other effects. With attention on Syria, Washington won't be saying anything of significance on Bahrain, where the Saudis have backed up the monarchy with political and military intervention.

And the US and Riyadh are likely to have agreed a watching but containing approach on Yemen, where no political movement is likely, while Washington seeks a free hand in "counter-terrorism" operations in the south of the country.

1245 GMT: Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Libya, says the opposition fighters were "able to fight their way into Az-Zawiyah but they have still not been able to secure it."

On the other hand, the government, however, says it still has control of the city. 

1240 GMT: Reports coming that opposition fighters say they are within 50 kilometers of the Libyan capital Tripoli after claiming to have captured the strategic city of Az-Zawiyah. On the other hand, they ar fighting on the eastern front, for control of the oil terminal of Brega. However, there is a higher resistance on the eastern front.

1235 GMT: More video footages coming from Latakia.

This video has moved to our separate entry: Syria Video Special: The Assault on Lattakia

Tanks are used in the assault as well:

This video has moved to our separate entry: Syria Video Special: The Assault on Lattakia

Gunship deploying near Lattakia:

This video has moved to our separate entry: Syria Video Special: The Assault on Lattakia

1230 GMT: The AFP news agency reported at least 21 killed in Syrian assault on port city of Latakia. 

1225 GMT: Syrian army forces attacking a graveyard in Dariya in the outskirts of Damascus and preventing civilians from entering to bury their dead.

1220 GMT: Tanks and armoured vehicles were deployed in Latakia yesterday, killing at least five. The pressure is increasing now. This time, gunboats joined the operation. According to activists, at least 11 killed and 15 injured in two residential disctricts of Latakia. 

1200 GMT: Ali Yenidunya is back. 

We have just learned that PKK's second man, Murat Karayilan, was captured by Iranian forces, according to Iran's Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaaddin Burucerdi. 

Please see: The Latest From Iran (14 August): Scandals & Religious Shakeups

Ma'arrat Numan, after Taraweeh Prayers

0510 GMT: Updates will be scarce for a while, as Scott Lucas is still on vacation, and Ali Yenidunya and James Miller are, we hope, sleeping for a while.

While you're waiting, we encourage you to look back at Saturday's liveblog, Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: After Another Deathful Friday, as well our newest features, Verifying Sources in the Era of Amateur Video (Zalman), and Yemen Special: Al Qaeda Making Ricin? (Schmitt/Shanker).