Syria Special: Torture, Intimidation Used to Deter Protests

Syrian soldiers appear to be beating prisoners in a bus. We haven't received a full translation yet, but it appears that the soldiers are forcing these people to chant pro-Assad slogans:

UPDATE: 2011-08-19, 1900 GMT: Al Jazeera posts this translation with additional details:

Activists say the prisoners on the bus were arrested in Hama on July 29, just two days before the military assault on the city.

Men believed to be shabiha thugs dressed in military uniforms beat the prisoners, slamming their heads down and pulling their hair while screaming, "God, Syria, Bashar only!" and "With our blood and souls we sacrifice to you Bashar!" The men’s beards suggest they are not regular soldiers, as beards are banned in Syria’s military.

---

NPR Reports that the tactics of the Syrian regime have become even more extreme. According to the report, Assad's forces are now torturing some detainees to death (audio of the full report):

Click to read more ...

Yemen, Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: And the Downbeat Goes On

View LCCSyria Protest Map June 10, 2011 in a larger map

Activists have created this map of protests today during "Syria's Day of Clans"

2055 GMT: A doctor has told Reuters that the death toll from the regime bombardment of opposition-held Misurata, Libya's third-largest city, has risen to 31. More than 110 people are wounded.

1739 GMT: Earlier, we reported that helicopters were being used to shoot civilians in the streets of Ma'ara Al Nu'man. Another source now says that security forces are going door to door, searching for defected sodliers. 

Click to read more ...

Yemen, Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: A President Is Wounded

Video of the destroyed Presidential Mosque in the Yemeni capital Sana'a

2130 GMT: Media are reporting tonight that the Vice President, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, is now acting President and Supreme Commander of the armed forces.

Meanwhile, Abdel Rahman Ba Fadel, an opposition member of the Yemeni parliament, has told Al Jazeera, "A medical team arrived from Saudi Arabia but there is a plane ready to take him [President Saleh] there if they fail to treat him in Yemen."

Click to read more ...

Bahrain, Yemen (and Beyond) LiveBlog: States of Denial

The Yemenia Airways building burns to the ground amidst clashes in Yemen's capital Sana'a:

2216 GMT: We have conflicting reports from Yemen, but Abe Alansy, who has been the fastest source to update information, is Tweeting that the situation is now calm in Sana'a, Yemen, though it is entirely possible that this is subject to change. There are reports of casualties, but any numbers are likely to be unreliable until daybreak.  

In Libya, an opposition website is claiming multiple victories today near the city of Yefren (updated since our post at 1446 GMT). 

We're taking a break here and preparing for a very busy day tomorrow morning. In Syria, we'll be watching "Children's Friday," in Yemen the growing violence around the capital, in Bahrain the funeral of the most recent martyr, and in Libya the advance of rebel forces. It's going to be another busy Arab Spring Friday.

We'll pick up our coverage at 0530 GMT tomorrow.

Click to read more ...