Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Bombardment Continues

A demonstration last night in Hama in Syria

See also Bahrain Propaganda 101: Bringing the "Right" Youth Delegation to Washington
Saturday's Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Defiance

---

2040 GMT: Medics and officials in Yemen have said that at least 35 soldiers have been killed in clashes with insurgents near Zinjibar in the south of the country.

Dozens of troops were also reportedly wounded. A local offical said 12 insurgents were slain.

2035 GMT: The head of a Libyan militia has said that two British journalists working for Iran's Press TV, detained on 22 February in Misurata, are being held on suspicion of espionage.

Faraj al-Swelhi, commander of the Swelhi Brigade, said that, among the possessions of Nicholas Davies and Gareth Montgomery-Johnson, there was footage of them firing weapons and equipment used by the Israeli military.

2025 GMT: The demonstration tonight in the Khalidiya section of Homs in Syria:

2015 GMT: Video of opposition activists in the Moroccan capital Casablanca clashing with supporters of the regime --- 12 people were reportedly wounded:

1935 GMT: The Local Co-ordination Committees of Syria has raised today's death toll to 45, with the claim of six men executed in Baba Amr in Homs.

There were 17 killed in Homs, 14 in Hama --- included 13 labourers in an alleged massacre in the Har Banafsa area --- four in the Damascus suburbs, three in Daraa, three in Idlib, two in Aleppo, and one each in Baniyas and Deir Ez Zor.

1735 GMT: A rally in Samaheej in Bahrain on Saturday, calling for freeing of political prisoners and the trial of King Hamad for crimes against Bahrainis:

1730 GMT: The Local Co-ordination Committees of Syria is claiming 29 deaths today, including four men "publicly executed" in the Baba Amr section of Homs.

The activists said 16 people died in Homs, three in the Damascus suburbs, three in Daraa, three in Idlib, two in Aleppo, and one each in Hama and Deir Ez Zor.

1610 GMT: Syrian officials in the Baba Amr section of Homs have again prevented the International Committee of the Red Cross from delivering aid and treating the wounded.

Saleh Dabbakeh, the ICRC spokesman in Damascus, said, "The convoy is in Homs and has been delivering aid since Thursday and there are displaced people from Baba Amr in places around Homs, such as the town of Abel, about 3km away. As for Baba Amr we are still not able to get in. We still have a green light [officially] but we are still unable to continue [on the ground]."

1542 GMT: The Local Co-ordination Committees of Syria say that five children are among the dead today, killed in the regime shelling of Rastan near Homs.

1458 GMT: In Bahrain, the opposition's open sit-in protests continue:

1455 GMT: Simine Alam from Save the Children talks to The Guardian about Syrian refugees in Lebanon: "A lot of the children are showing signs of post traumatic stress, including nightmares, bed wetting, being extremely clingy to their mothers - like isolating themselves, refusing to go to school, not wanting to be in groups."

Jean Paul Cavalieri of the United Nations High Commssion for Refugees, said, "Between one and two thousand (Syrians) are in the process of coming from Syria to Lebanon." More than 7000 Syrians are already said to be registered with the UNHCR.

1335 GMT: The Local Co-ordination Committees of Syria say 15 people have died today --- seven in Homs, three in the Damascus suburbs, and one each in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Daraa, and Deir Ez Zor.

1325 GMT: The Red Cross and Red Crescent are still trying to get into the Baba Amr section of Homs in Syria.

The regime, whose forces took over the besieged neighbourhood last week, have been blocking access to the civilians, with a convoy of trucks getting into Homs on Friday but not moving farther.

Meanwhile, there have been reports throughout today of the continued shelling of other sections of Homs, including Qusour. The nearby town of Rastan is also reportedly being bombarded.

1215 GMT: An EA correspondent in Bahrain writes about last night's events in Sitra:

The clashes were very heavy. It was not only the Molotov that hit the [police] SUV. Before that, there was hand-to-hand clashes, with police shooting at protesters at close range, causing some injuries. This made the youth get out the Molotovs, using them until the SUV hit the wall out of fear.

Last night, a few houses of activists in Sitra were raided but the police did not find anyone, since the activists were elsewhere.

The expectation is more raids will happen this week. The police won't stop before casting the blame on some people.

The regime newspaper Al Ayam claims that the four injured policemen are in critical condition. A photograph by Mazen Mahdi of the crashed and burned police SUV:

0925 GMT: Two more suicide attacks in southern Yemen have reportedly killed several soldiers.

0855 GMT: Last month Anthony Shadid, one of the top international correspondents, died from an asthma attack while working "undercover" in Syria. Tyler Hicks, The New York Times photojournalist who was with Shadid, writes a poignant account, "Bearing Witness in Syria: A War Reporter’s Last Days", both of the correspondent and of the country that the two men were observing.

0755 GMT: News from Syria was lighter than usual on Saturday, but even on a "quiet" day, the Local Coordination Committees in Syria report that 80 people died in the violence. Of these, 47 are claimed to be soldiers who were executed  in the Abou Zahour military airport in northwest Syria when they tried to defect. Eight people died in the Damascus suburbs; seven in Homs; four in Hama; four martyrs in Daraa; and one in Deir Ez Zor.

The shelling of Homs continues, even though the neighbourhood of Baba Amr was taken over by regime forces last week. Areas in the south such as Khalidiya, Bab Sbaa, and Khader.