Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Protests Take Over

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Friday's Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Will the Regime Challenge the Protests?

The opening day of the funeral of Bahraini citizen journalist Ahmed Ismail Hassan, shot to death two weeks ago

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2224 GMT: Back from a conference to find that the United Nations Security Council has unanimously adopted UN Resolution 2042 for the first 30 unarmed military monitors, who are expected to leave within days.

The observers will report on whether the resolution has been met by "a full cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties". The measure also demands that the Assad regime implement the six-point peace plan put forward by United Nations envoy Kofi Annan, with the pull-back of troops and heavy weapons from cities and town.

A new resolution with a full mandate will be required for the full monitoring mission of more than 200 observers.

1424 GMT: Another image (see video at 0955 GMT) of Bahraini police moving in to disperse protesters after the funeral of citizen journalist in Salmabad on Friday:

1420 GMT: Shelling in front of a man filming in the Qarabees section of Homs in Syria today:

1410 GMT: A map has been posted of the hundreds of claimed protests in Syria on Friday:

View جمعة "ثورة لكل السوريين" - 13 نيسان 2012 in a larger map

1310 GMT: In our previous entry, we noted video of a funeral in Aleppo for a victim of Syrian security forces --- now images of those forces firing on the mourners:

Demonstrators defying the gunfire:

1240 GMT: A funeral today in Aleppo for a victim of the Syrian security forces:

1235 GMT: At least three prominent TV channels have said they will not travel to next week's Bahrain Grand Prix.

The broadcasters from Finland, Japan, and Sky Deutschland of Germany said they will not be sending personnel due to security concerns.

"Grands prix attract so much attention internationally that the possibility of problems is too high," said a spokesman for Finland's MTV3.

1220 GMT: A Yemeni security official claims at least 222 people, including 183 insurgents, have been killed in five days of clashes around the town of Loder in the south of the country.

Thirty-seven people were killed on Friday, the official said, including a child, five tribal auxiliaries, and 31 insurgents.

He said Loder was quiet on Saturday "after the Al-Qaeda fighters withdrew to positions they occupied before the fighting began, leaving behind several snipers". The insurgents pulled back to Um Sorra five kilometres (three miles) southwest of Loder.

Loder is about 150 kilometres (93 miles) northeast of Zinjibar, the Abyan provincial capital taken by insurgents last May.

1215 GMT: Claimed footage of smoke rising above the Qosour section of Homs after shelling by the Syrian military today:

1105 GMT: Der Spiegel claims that a German ship with Iranian arms for the Syrian military has been stopped before it could reach the port of Tartus.

1045 GMT: Last night we noted the serious development of the shooting of 15-year-old Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Aziz in Bahrain --- he is reportedly in intensive care with birdshot near his heart.

International media are beginning to notice the story, with Al Jazeera English posting an entry in its Live Coverage.

1035 GMT: In a statement issued on Friday, Bahrain's February 14 Coalition has warned not only the regime but also Riyadh, Washington, and London over escalating tension:

We hold the Alkhalifa illegitimate regime, the Saudi invasion, and the USA and UK administrations fully responsible for the recent violence outbreak. Our people have shown admirable tolerance and have endured severe pain and even presented flowers to the killers, but the West, led by the USA and UK administrationsm have insisted on maintaining complicit silence over the crimes committed by the Alkhalifa regime and even conspired against the popular revolution in Bahrain. All statements issued by the USA and UK administrations were biased in favor of the illegitimate regime of Alkhalifam despite the fact that our people have exercised maximum restraint and flexibility. Whoever responded to our peaceful people by violent repression and systematic murder shall suffer the consequences and shall have a taste of the pain that our people have patiently endured.

1015 GMT: Reporters Without Borders has launched a campaign over Bahrain, "condemning the appallingly repressive policies of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa’s government since the start of the Arab spring and its current propaganda focus on the Formula One Grand Prix that is to be held...from 20 to 22 April.

The group notes more than 140 cases of arrests, torture or dismissals of journalists since February 2011, restrictions to the entry of foreign reporters into the country, and filtering of websites.

The campaign includes an on-line petition over next week's Formula 1 Grand Prix, "The Most Important Thing is Not to Participate".

0955 GMT: Footage of Bahraini police, including officers with shotguns, mobilising to disperse protesters after the funeral of Ahmed Ismail Hassan in Salmabad on Friday:

0925 GMT: Activists claims Syrian troops have shelled the neighbourhoods in Jouret el-Shayah and Qarabees in Homs.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the shelling lasted for about an hour, but there were no reports of casualties.

"There was shelling last night in the old part of the city, in Jouret al-Shiyah and al-Qarabis. And I have heard eight shells fall in the past hour," Karm Abu Rabea, a resident activist said.

Live-stream video of Jouret al-Shiyah is on-line, and this footage is of smoke over Qarabees:

0610 GMT: Friday was a day of drama in Bahrain, with promise of more to come this week.

The day opened with the political news that Formula 1 organisers would proceed, despite widespread opposition and issues of security, with the Bahrain Grand Prix from 20-22 April. This was overtaken, however, by the march of tens of thousands of Bahrainis for the funeral of citizen journalist Ahmed Ismail Hassan, slain two weeks ago as he filmed protests in Salmabad --- allegedly by a shot fired by a plainclothes member of the regime's security forces.

And rather than accepting that show of defiance, the security forces ensured that the story will escalate as they fired upon demonstrators with tear gas and birdshot. Last night, a 15-year-old was in serious condition, reportedly with birdshot near his heart.

0600 GMT: At one point during Friday's Live Coverage, James Miller noted that, if it were not for the words "Cease Fire", the headline would be about protests throughout Syria.

This morning, I beg to differ. The headline is Protests Take Over. Although the "cease fire" generally held, the emerging story was of the tens of thousands of Syrians who came out to express continued defiance of the Assad regime. Activists claimed that, despite the supposed political resolution with the halt to widespread shelling and clashes, there were more demonstrations yesterday than on previous Fridays.

The Local Co-ordination Committees of Syria reported that there were still 13 deaths from violence yesterday, and video showed security forces fired on demonstrations, for example, in Syria's second city Aleppo. That toll, however, is the lowest for months.

So, as Miller wrote as he watched a massive rally in Douma near Damascus, the question now shifts. If the protests continue to surge --- perhaps fed by the sense that the regime will not break the cease fire to break the opposition --- how long can President Assad and his military hold back?