Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: More than 100 Die But Opposition Slowly Advances
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 8:35 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran The Free Syrian Army protects protesting civilians in the town of Madaya on Friday
See also Bahrain Feature: Obama Administration "Quietly Sells Arms to Regime"
Syria Video Analysis: "Beginning of End of Regime is At Hand"
Bahrain Feature: The Clouds of Tear Gas and Death Gather Once More
Friday's Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: A Blanket of Tear Gas, A Battle in Homs
2220 GMT: A boy in Dael in southern Syria holds up a poster, "Come kill us and leave the people of Homs and Hama":
2155 GMT: John Horne writes:
Bahrain's Minister of Interior has called tonight for prison sentences of up to 15 years for anybody caught attacking a police officer.
The call by Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalif comes after a week of violence and bloodshed in Bahrain. On Tuesday, a fightback by some demonstrators, mostly youths, resulted in an officer being attacked and wounded. Images of the incident were broadcast across the world.
However, today's call by the Minister of Interior is likely to raise many eyebrows, given the documented attacks by police against both protesters and civilians this week. There have been at least four Bahrainis killed as a consequence of police action, with reports that one of the victims was abused in police custody. Thursday night also saw security forces covering towns and villages with tear gas, bringing concern both for mmediate conequences and also long-term health risks.
The Minister of Interior's call also follows the announcement that the police are to be given more equipment with which to defend themselves against attack. That equipment, which may be used in far more than a defensive manner, includes "gas and sound bombs as well as guns that fire rubber bullets".