Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Renewed Battle in Aleppo

See also Syria Feature: The Fight Within the Command of the Insurgency
Egypt Opinion: Destroying the Books of Alexandria
Syria Feature: Seeking Justice Against the "Banality of Evil"
Sunday's Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: 7 Weeks Later, The Battles in Aleppo Continue

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1919 GMT: Syria. According to Russian Vice Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Syrian President Bashar al Assad would step down if he lost an election:

French newspaper Le Figaro quoted Bogdanov as saying in an interview after meeting Syrian dissidents in Paris that the "regime is still solid" and supported by an important part of the population who feared those who could take his place.

"Assad told us himself. But I don't know how sincere he is," Bogdanov said. "But he clearly told us that if the people didn't want him, and if they chose a different leader in an election, he would go."

1608 GMT: Syria. The LCC's death toll has now reached 102:

67 martyrs were reported in Damascus and its Suburbs (including 36 who were field-executed in Tadamun, 17 martyrs were found in Zamalka, and 3 who were field-executed in Mouadamiyeh), 16 in Aleppo, 6 in Hama, 4 in Daraa, 4 in Idlib, 2 in Homs, 2 in Lattakia, and 1 in Deir Ezzor.

1600 GMT: Syria. Earlier we posted video reportedly showing bodies, either "shabiha" or regime soldiers, who were reportedly executed by insurgents in Aleppo (see update 1225). Now, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has posted a second video (GRAPHIC, below) showing them men, in army fatigues, having been tied up and executed:

The Guardian has this assessment:

The killings will add to growing concern about human rights abuses by rebels. Last month some leading rebel units and commanders signed a code of conduct pledging to uphold human rights and treat captives as prisoners of war.

But only one commander from Aleppo signed the document.

1454 GMT: Syria. The Local Coordination Committees report that 78 people have been killed today by Assad forces:

49 martyrs were reported in Damascus and its Suburbs (including 36 who were field-executed in Tadamun and 3 who were field-executed in Mouadamiyeh), 10 in Aleppo, 6 in Hama, 4 in Daraa, 4 in Idlib, 2 in Homs, 2 in Lattakia, and 1 in Deir Ezzor.

See our note on the casualty figures posted by the LCC.

Nearly half the deaths are "field executions" in Damascus, indicating that, according to activists, the regime is still engaged in brutal reprisal attacks in Damascus. But Damascus is not alone. On Friday, there was a claim that 45 activists were executed by the regime in Aleppo, and now there is evidence that pro-opposition elements executed "shabiha" in Aleppo (see update 1225).

1446 GMT: Syria. Syrian Army officials have told the AFP that they have recaptured the Hanano army barracks in the center of Aleppo. The barracks were at least partially captured by the FSA on Friday, and have been fought over since. This weekend the regime appears to have launched a massive offensive to attempt to recapture the base, which is close to the very center of Aleppo.

It's worth noting that the Syrian military previously released a statement saying that the army repelled the initial attack against the barracks. This would make it hard to "recapture."

1412 GMT: Yemen. BREAKING BUT UNCONFIRMED:

#AJA: Al Qeada in #Yemen second in command, Saeed Al Shehri, was killed in an air strike eastern Yemen

— Sherine Tadros (@SherineT) September 10, 2012

A quick check of the headlines indicates that this story has not yet made the wire, and it should be treated with caution.

1330 GMT: Syria. The death toll from a bombing in Aleppo has risen to 30, according to State TV who blame the bombing on "terrorists."

An official source said 30 civilians, including women and children, and two law-enforcement members were martyred and 64 others were wounded ...

The source added that, at the same time, another explosion took place near Qutaybah Bin Muslim al-Bahili school in the martyrs district in new Aleppo.

James Miller takes over today's live coverage. Thanks to Scott Lucas for getting us started today.

1324 GMT: Bahrain. EA's John Horne reports:

Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, was in court today appealing the three-year sentence he received for organising and participating in protests. The judge adjourned the case until September 27th, according to his lawyer Mohammed al-Jishi.

Katherine Gallagher, Vice President of FIDH, was present in court to monitor the hearing. She tweeted the following account:

At Nabeel Rajab's hearing. His family all in court, international observers and US, French and German Embassy [representatives present]. Nabeel looks strong.

Nabeel's request for release made forcefully. Detailed criminalization campaign against Nabeel and treatment in solitary [confinement] .Decision pending.

Nabeel in prison grey clothes. Gave statement. Zainab with AbdulHahi [AlKhawaja]'s picture on front of shirt and pearl roundabout on back.

Nabeel's lawyers request joinder of cases, report [of] Nabeel beaten by police added to case file & explain [why] defense witnesses never called

Gallagher was also present at Zainab AlKhwaja's appeal hearing, which was adjourned until tomorrow. She reports that the judge seemingly dismissed the BICI report when Zainab's lawyer sought to introduce part of it as evidence:

Judge at #zainab's hearing in response2 request to admit part of #BICI #Bassiouni report-BICI is the past, we are talking furture #Bahrain

— Katherine Gallagher (@katherga1) September 10, 2012

1225 GMT: Syria. Brown Moses picks up footage from the Facebook page of the Salman Al Farisi Battalion claiming to show "the end of the security (forces)" with about 20 bound and blindfolded men who have been executed in Aleppo.

The Battalion claimed in a later post that it destroyed three tanks and killed a busload of army troops and pro-regime shabiha, in a joint operation with Al-Nusra Front.

Warning: Graphic:

1100 GMT: Bahrain. The latest court hearing of detained activist Zainab Alkhawaja has been adjourned until tomorrow, with a request for her release denied.

Alkhawaja, imprisoned on several occasions since the start of the February 2011 uprising, has been behind bars since 2 August.

1050 GMT: Syria. Opening today's session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, "We must ensure that anyone, on any side, who commits war crimes, crimes against humanity or other violations of international human rights or humanitarian law is brought to justice."

The Secretary General continued, "I am deeply troubled by the aerial bombardments of civilians by government forces, by the increasing sectarian tensions, by the deteriorating humanitarian situation and by the apparent choice of both sides to pursue a solution through force rather than dialogue."

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged an immediate probe into the mass killing last month of hundreds of residents of the Damascus suburb of Darayya, "I call on the government to ensure full and unhindered access to the (U.N.) Independent Commission of Inquiry."

0859 GMT: Syria. Minister of Information Omran al-Zoebi, at a news conference in Damascus, has indicated the regime will not enter into negotiations before the complete defeat of the insurgency: "There will be no dialogue with the opposition prior to the Syrian army’s imposition of security and stability in all parts of the country."

Zoebi said the growing number of refugees who have fled the country "can come back at any time", while criticising the Presidents of Egypt and Turkey for alleged calls for outside intervention.

0826 GMT: Syria. Reuters reports, from residents and opposition activists, that the two bombs in Aleppo on Sunday night targeted a makeshift barracks and the military police headquarters, killing and wounding scores of regime forces.

The Governor of Aleppo Province had claimed that the bombs were aimed at hospitals.

"The army had taken over the neighborhood and emptied it from residents. The hospital was turned into army barracks," said activist Ahmad Saeed.

The Noble Aleppo brigade of the Free Syrian Army said it carried out the attack, killing or wounding 200 troops. It claimed the bombs were planted inside the buildings in cooperation with a sympathiser among the regime's forces.

0741 GMT: Syria. With almost 250,000 registered Syrian refugees outside the country, Al Jazeera English hosts a discussion asking, "How serious is the crisis?":

0733 GMT: Syria. State media is claiming that 27 people were killed and 64 wounded in a car bombing on Sunday night in a regime-controlled residential district of Aleppo.

The Governor of Aleppo Province, Mohammed Wahid Akkad, said that two car bombs may have been involved in the attack targeting a pair of hospitals: "[The attackers] don't have a message, except destruction. They want people to be afraid, to leave Syria. That is their goal, total destruction....Until when will this terrorism continue?"

0515 GMT: Bahrain. The Ministry of Interior has warned that it will crack down on "defamation and abuse crimes on social media networks" against public figures.

A Ministry official issued the statement that authorities had "received many complaints by personalities that are respected in society who got affected by such acts" and who demanded "confrontation...to protect traditions".

The Ministry said it will launch a website for complaints.

0455 GMT: Syria. As EA's James Miller predicted last Friday, the surge of Free Syrian Army attacks in Aleppo --- notably the assault on the army base in the Hanano neighbourhood --- has been the bellwether for a deadly response by the regime.

As the Syrian military maintained control of the base after a 20-hour battle, albeit at the cost of a significant loss of weapons, it unleashed waves of shelling on insurgent-held and disputed areas. Hanano was the site of the deadliest incident on Sunday, with reports of a destroyed residential complex and "dozens" of casualties taken from the rubble. The attacks also were the probable cause of a damaged main pipeline for water, although the regime continues to blame "terrorist" sabotage.

The Local Coordination Committees reported 160 deaths on Sunday, including 27 in Aleppo Province. There were also 40 slain in and near Damascus, amid continuing regime shelling of the Yarmouk refugee camps and surrounding neighbourhoods, 25 in Idlib Province, and 22 in Homs Province.