Phew, it's been a full day...
Last night, the UNSC authorised a No Fly Zone and additional measures against Col Gaddafi.
Meanwhile, the crackdown continues in Bahrain, where the government has demolished Pearl roundabout, the symbolic landmark which demonstrators calling for reforms had adopted as their gathering place. Ironically, the statue was intended to symbolise the unity of the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council), the regional organisaion (which includes Saudi Arabia) that King al-Khalifa has now called upon to help him quell the opposition movement.
In San'a, the capital of Yemen, security forces massacred those protesting against the government. More than 30 have been reported killed and hundreds injured. This is totally despicable behaviour by President Ali Abdallah Saleh, our ally in the 'War on Terror', and indicative of a situation which seems to be rapidly deteriorating.
However, for me today was dominated by events in Syria where, for the fourth consecutive day, demonstrations were held in various towns and cities across the country. There seems to have been a dangerously rapid escalation. On 15th and 16th March scattered groups of protesters assembled to demand the end of emergency laws, the release of political prisoners, and to make a general call for freedom in Syria. However, these disparate calls have been met by steadilly mounting state brutality.
By 17th March al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper was reporting the use of live ammunition by police in the Midan and Muhajireen districts of Damascus, and the deployment of Republican Guards tanks on the outskirts of the city.
This didn't stop a group from gathering in the Umayyid mosque in the Old City of Damascus after Friday prayers who began to chant "la ilaha il-Allah" (No god but God) and then "Freedom!". One man held a sign with both the Cross and the Crescent. Incidentally, this mosque is of great significance to both Sunni and Shi'a and, because it is one of the places which claim to contain John the Baptist's head, it is also a sacred place for Christians too.
Then, in this video, we can see fighting and skuffles as security forces invade the prayer hall. Apparently 200 security personnel were involved and up to 30 people, including some under-18s, were arrested.
Here, a man is being beaten in the courtyard of the mosque:
However, during the last few days the largest protests seem to have taken place in provincial Syria.
For example, on Friday thousands protested in Der'a in Hauran (southern Syria). In this video they can be heard shouting "Freedom"
Fire engines were deployed as water cannon in an effort to disperse the crowd.
Between 3 and 6 protesters are reported to have been killed and dozens injured in Der'a today as live ammunition was used against them. Here is video of the crowd carrying a dead protester. You can clearly hear shooting in the background. (Warning: graphic)
There were reports that the army, including helicopters, have been deployed inside the city.
Large crowds also gathered in Homs, the third largest city in Syria.
Another large crowd gathered in Baniyas on the Med Coast (between Lattakia and Tartous) and chanted "God, Syria, Freedom!"
Protests have also been reported in Deir Az-Zur, Hasseke, Qamishli and Raqqa.
Witnesses in Aleppo described Syria's second city as 'quiet' today, in the midst of a heavy security presence in the centre of the city.
Demonstrations had been reported there on Tuesday. There had also been some reports of gunfire on the night of 15th March.
Personally, I'm very worried about the situation in Syria. The Syrian government has shown that it is not interested in engaging in any kind of dialogue with those who are seeking reform. Instead, it has immediately resorted to it's virtual monopoly on violence, including the use of live ammunition and the deployment of military units against civilians. Old habits die hard.
The Syrian authorities are hoping that this brutal crackdown will quickly stamp out dissent. However, it also risks strengthening opposition and exacerbating the divisions in Syrian society.
Allah m3kum.
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Update 19/3: Late arriving video of Friday's protests in Deir Az-Zur in the east of Syria.
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