Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Meaningless Amnesty, Cosmetic Speech?

Demonstration after evening prayers in the Khalidiya district of Homs

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2155 GMT: At this moment, several EA source are reporting that the Syrian army is still besieging the city of Zabadani. The LCCS is also posting these reports:

Zabadani has been under shelling since 6 AM this morning by all kinds of light and heavy weaponry, which caused 5 houses to be totally destroyed and more than 13 injuries. There are areas which were shelled and are inaccessible due to heavy shooting, today Jisr cafe, houses in the western ally and some main streets were targeted.

The city is witnessing a strong movement of displaced people to the nearby areas and the number of displaced families reached about 250 family.

Also, state security forces liquidated 15 soldiers today for refusing to shoot at civilians. Military reinforcements arrived to the city: about 25 tanks and large number of troops carriers (of Zil brand), 20 tanks from brigade 62 in Jdaidet Yaboos have moved towards the city. Regime’s military forces shelled the town of Madaya using the armored vehicles positioned in Francis area in Zabadany landscape.

According to sources, electricity is cut, and food and medical supplies are thin.

LCCS also reports defections in the area, including a whole unit, about 25 soldiers, that defected all at once.

EA sources have been able to confirm the presence of Free Syrian Army soldiers in the area, though it is unclear whether the siege started before they arrived, or whether they traveled to the area in order to defend the city.

The LCCS has also posted many videos, some showing tanks and armored vehicles deploying nearby, some showing damage from shelling, others showing unexploded ordinance in back yards, and this one showing gunfire and shelling:

It's worth noting that the internet appears to be cut off, as are cell networks, so information coming out of the city today has been sparse.

2135 GMT: This video was reportedly taken this evening on the campus of Aleppo University, despite heavy security presence and a wave of recent arrests:

Only one hour ago, there were reports of arrests on the campus. The LCCS provides details:

Aleppo University: Scores of wounded students have fallen and many more have been detained by security forces. Dormitories have been ransacked by pro-regime forces using electric batons and iron chains.

2058 GMT: The LCCS also has these two reports from Raqqa, where the Arab League observers visited today, and where gunfire was heard:

Raqqa: Young man Mustafa Shaihan, 32 years old, was arrested in fornt of the Arab League observers after he talked with one of them and cried for him to prevent his arrest

LCCS also posts this video, reportedly showing protesters running from gunfire "in the presence of Arab monitors." We've seen that claim before, and sometimes it has been true, but it is not confirmed that the monitors oversaw the violence.

2020 GMT: According to the LCCS, 15 have died across Syria, "including two children,two women and five defected recruits we don’t know their names yet. ten martyrs from Homs and five from Idlib."

Protests have also lasted into the night --- the Qadam district of Damascus:

Harasta, a suburb of Damascus:

1720 GMT: This video reportedly shows a large protest in Kornaz, Hama province, earlier today:

1705 GMT: An unnamed source, speaking with Al Arabiya, has said that the Quds Force, an elite division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, would intervene in Syria if foreign nations tried to interfere with Syria's internal problems. The most interesting line, however, is the denial that Iranians have already intervened in the conflcit:

The unnamed Iranian source insisted that Iran - one of Syria's strongest allies - has "not yet" interfered in Syrian affairs in the ten months of conflict between opposition groups and government forces.

What's interesting is that there appears to be plenty of evidence that would contradict this. Especially over the summer, in operations in Idlib province and near Hama, there were many reports of Iranian agents operating in Syria.

As tensions mount between the US and Iran, it's hard to predict how this will have an effect on the Obama administration's strategy. However, an anonymous statement, allegedly from Al Quds, is unlikely to have much of an impact.

1609 GMT: According to Maryam alKhawaja, her sister, Zainab alKhawaja, and Masooma AlSayed (@MaSsSyY1) have been summoned for trial on the 18th of this month. The two were arrested last month in a roundabout when they refused to leave when asked by police.

1602 GMT: Bahraini activists are reporting that protests in the village of Malkya have been disrupted by police. Said Yousif Almuhafda reports:

"still people are protesting in malkya & still riot police are shooting tear gas & sound greanade [sic]"

1529 GMT: This video was reportedly taken today in the Baba Amr district of Homs, today. Heavy ammunition hits the facade of the building in the foreground, as sound of gunfire is almost constant.

We're still trying to get a feeling for today's action in Homs, so we're not able to verify whether this video matches accounts from eyewitnesses today.

1441 GMT: Elsewhere around Syria's capital, there is a general sense that the suburbs of Zabadani and Madaya are under attack since three days ago, with a brief respite during a visit from Arab League observers. The LCCS has published a statement on the events, along with many videos from the city of Zabadani. In this video, a large crowd of protesters greet the observers. In another video, gunfire can be heard, and in yet another, an activist films damage to the water tanks, reportedly targeted by the regime forces.

LCCS also reports that the violence in Zabadani has restarted today:

More than 20 injured after the Syrian Army started shooting the civilians' houses were 5 houses destroyed and continued to open gunfire from heavy machineries randomly. An extensive security deployment in the Western Mountain and snipers stationed at the rooftops of high buildings.

More than 200 families fled from the western areas to the eastern parts of the city running away form the army's continuous shelling since Saturday

The Local Coordinating Committees report that 13 have died so far today, "including two children and five defected recruits we don't know their names yet. Eight martyrs from Homs and five from Idlib."

1409 GMT: James Miller takes the liveblog. He'll be catching up on the latest news.

So far, multiple activists are reporting large protests in Daraya, outside Damascus. A picture gallery has been posted on Facebook:

0829 GMT: Were the Bahraini police trying to run over protesters in Barbar yesterday, after a funeral for a women who allegedly died of tear gas inhalation? We posted the first video on Sunday, but a second clip from a different angle has emerged:

0629 GMT: Al Masry Al Youm headlines a press conference by lawyers in Egypt, "Regime Still Using Mubarak-era Tactics to Crush Dissent".

0625 GMT: In Bahrain, we will be watching for further reactions to Sunday's speech by King Hamad. Initial indications are that the address, promising Constitutional reforms in the relationship between the monarchy and Parliament, will change little --- those supporting the regime will hail the statement as proof of the King's wise leadership, while those challenging the leadership will contend that any changes are cosmetic and do not uphold the principle of "the rule of the people".

0615 GMT: On Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad decreed an amnesty for any "crimes" since 15 March in connection with anti-regime demonstrations or draft evasion, provided the accused turned themselves in before 31 January

The announcement --- as with similar decrees in May, June, and November --- is likey to come and go. According to activists, another 21 people died at the hands of security forces on Sunday, as Assad's speech of last week, promising reforms after "terrorism" had been vanquished, receded into the distance.

A mass demonstration in the Damascus suburb of Barzeh on Sunday night, calling for the fall of Assad: