Syria News, Syria Revolution, Deaths as Syrian forces fire on protesters

Syria News, Syria Revolution, Deaths as Syrian forces fire on protesters

 
The bloody crackdown on protesters in Syria has left dozens dead as President Bashar al-Assad faces the greatest challenge to his 11-year rule.
Security forces opened fire on anti-government protesters in the city of Sanamin near Daraa on Friday, killing at least 20 people, according to one witness.
"There are more than 20 martyrs .... they [security forces] opened fire haphazardly," the witness told Al Jazeera on Friday.
Rula Amin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Damascus, said Syrian forces apparently fired after protesters set fire to a statue of the late president, Hafez al-Assad.

also showed protesters in the cental square of Daraa dismantling a portrait of his son, Bashar al-Assad, the current president.
Reuters reported that heavy gunfire could be heard in the southern city of Daraa, the focal point for demonstrations against Bashar al-Assad's regime in recent days.
Three people were also reported killed in Mouadamieh district of Damascus after a crowd confronted a procession of cars driven by supporters of president Bashar al-Assad, residents said, according to Reuters.

Regime supporters take to streets
But regime supporters also took to the streets in sizeable numbers on Friday, waving flags and images of al-Assad. A large crowd gathered in the evening outside Al Jazeera's bureau in Damascus, demanding to be shown on the network.
"Thousands and thousands are now out in the streets of the capital, driving around the capital, showing their support for President Aasad. There is no doubt the president does have support in this country. Bashar al-Assad is a popular leader," said Al Jazeera's correspondent Zeina Khodr.
But Anas al-Abda, the chairman of the Movement for Justice and Development in Syria, told Al Jazeera that pro-government demonstrations were "most probably fabricated and organised by the regime".
Earlier, Reem Haddad, from the Syrian information ministry, told Al Jazeera that security forces had been given the order not to shoot at protesters "no matter what happens".
"But things took on a different hue because inside these peaceful demonstrations there was another group of people who were armed ... and were shooting at the security forces and were shooting at other citizens in Daraa. At the end of the day this became a matter of national security."

But an eyewitness told Al Jazeera that "there were no people carrying arms among demonstrators".

"What happened in the square ... was live ammunition, I was present myself and I saw the youth and other young demonstrators leading a peaceful demonstration.

"They were chanting slogans calling for freedom and transparency and an end [to] corruption."

'Day of dignity'
The latest clashes come after protesters demanding greater freedom called for a "day of dignity" on Friday following a week-long crackdown by pro-regime forces that has left dozens dead.


At least 200 people marched in the centre of Damascus after Friday prayers in support of the people of Daraa, scene of protests against Baath Party rule, Reuters reported.


Protests spread across Syria, with rallies also held in the central city of Hama and in Tel, near Damascus. According to our correspondent, numbers at these rallies ranged from hundreds of people to thousands.

Daraa, the main city of southern Syria, has become a flashpoint for protests. Officials have been on the defensive after protesters in the southern city were shot dead by police.

The crackdown has already attracted the attention of the United Nations with human rights commissioner Navi Pillay calling for an investigation and an immediate halt to violence, a message echoed by Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General.
Human rights group Amnesty International said on Friday that at least 55 people had been killed since protests erupted.
The US on Friday called on the Syrian government to end the use of violence against protesters and the arrests of human rights activists.
"We strongly condemn the Syrian government's attempts to repress and intimidate demonstrators," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
Britain also expressed concern. "I call on the Syrian government to respect the people’s right to peaceful protest and to address their legitimate grievances. I call for restraint on all sides but in particular from the Syrian security forces. Violence is never the right answer to these situations." said Alistair Burt, a foreign office minister.
On Thursday, Syrian government announced that it would "study" ending emergency rule - in place since 1963 - and look into legalising political parties.
The current emergency law allows people to be arrested without warrants and imprisoned without trial.



US, UK and France attack Gaddafi forces in libya

US, UK and France attack Gaddafi forces in libya


The UK, US and France have attacked Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the first action to enforce a UN-mandated no-fly zone.

Pentagon officials say the US and the UK have fired more than 110 missiles, while French planes struck pro-Gaddafi forces attacking rebel-held Benghazi.

Col Gaddafi has vowed retaliation and said he would open arms depots to the people to defend Libya.
Cruise missiles hit air-defence sites in the capital, Tripoli, and Misrata.

Libyan state TV said 48 people had been killed and 150 wounded in the attacks. There was no independent confirmation of the deaths.

A French plane fired the first shots against Libyan government targets at 1645 GMT on Saturday, destroying a number of military vehicles, according to a military spokesman.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed that British planes are in action over Libya.

US President Barack Obama, speaking during a visit to Brazil, said the US was taking "limited military action" as part of a "broad coalition".
"We cannot stand idly by when a tyrant tells his people there will be no mercy," he said.
He repeated that no US ground troops would take part.
After the missile bombardment and the air strikes, Col Gaddafi made a brief speech calling on people to resist.
"Civilian and military targets in the air and sea will be liable to serious danger in the Mediterranean," he said.
"Arms depots are now open and the masses are being equipped with all sorts of weapons in defence of Libya's independence, unity and honour," the Libyan leader warned.
He called the attacks "a colonialist crusade of aggression. This can lead to open a new crusade war."
The BBC's Kevin Connolly, in the rebel-held eastern city of Tobruk, says it is now clear that Col Gaddafi's strategy is to portray the attacks as an act of colonialist aggression and rally enough of the Libyan people behind him to maintain his grip on power.
'Necessary' The UK Ministry of Defence said a British submarine and a number of Tornado jets had fired missiles at Libyan military targets.

Mr Cameron said that launching military action against Libya was "necessary, legal and right".
Libyan state TV reported that what it called the "crusader enemy" had bombed civilian areas of Tripoli, as well as fuel storage tanks supplying the western city of Misrata.
Sources in Tripoli told BBC Arabic that the attacks on the city had so far targeted the eastern areas of Sawani, Airport Road, and Ghasheer. These are all areas believed to host military bases.
Shortly after 0200 Libyan time (0000 GMT) on Sunday morning, heavy bursts of anti-aircraft fire arced into the sky above Tripoli and several explosions were heard.

The strikes on Misrata targeted a military airbase, the Reuters news agency reported, quoting two residents who denied the state TV reports that fuel stores were hit.
The cruise missiles were fired from one British submarine and a number of American destroyers and subs, said a Pentagon official.
The missiles hit more than 20 air-defence sites along the Mediterranean coast, said Navy Vice Adm William E Gortney.
The action came hours after Western and Arab leaders met in Paris to agree how to enforce the UN resolution, which allows "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from forces loyal to Col Gaddafi.
Our correspondent in Tobruk says that once the air-defence systems are taken out, combat aircraft can patrol and it will then become clear to what extent they will attack Col Gaddafi's ground forces. It is this that will determine the outcome of the campaign, he adds.
Benghazi battle Earlier on Saturday, pro-Gaddafi forces attacked Benghazi despite declaring a ceasefire a day earlier.
Reports from the city said that government tanks and artillery had bombarded the city and there was fighting around the university.

Rebels in the city said thousands of people were fleeing the attack, heading east, and the UN refugee agency said it was preparing to receive 200,000 refugees from Libya.
Journalists later said the bombardment ended in the late afternoon and that rebel forces remained in control of Benghazi.
The Libyan government blamed the rebels for breaking the ceasefire and said its forces had fought back in self-defence.
French planes are reported to have hit government tanks and armoured vehicles around Benghazi.
French planes also flew reconnaissance missions over "all Libyan territory", military sources in Paris said earlier.
In addition, Canada is sending warplanes to the region, while Italy has offered the use of its military bases. A naval blockade against Libya is also being put in place.
The international community was intervening to stop the "murderous madness" of Col Gaddafi, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.
"In Libya, the civilian population, which is demanding nothing more than the right to choose their own destiny, is in mortal danger," he warned. "It is our duty to respond to their anguished appeal."
Shortly after the airstrikes began, Libyan state TV said a French plane had been shot down near Tripoli. However, French military officials said all their planes had returned safely.
Col Gaddafi has ruled Libya for more than 40 years. An uprising against him began last month after the long-time leaders of neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt were toppled.

Libya airstrikes map












French plane fires on military vehicle in libya , libya news

French plane fires on military vehicle in libya , libya news


Map



A French plane has fired the first shots in Libya as enforcement of the UN-mandated no-fly zone begins.
The UK prime minister later confirmed British planes were also in action, while US media reports said the US had fired its first Cruise missiles.
The action came hours after Western and Arab leaders met in Paris to agree how to enforce the UN resolution.
It allows "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces.
'Stop the bombardment' The French plane fired the first shot in Libya at 1645 GMT and destroyed its target, according to a military spokesman.
French planes also flew reconnaissance missions over "all Libyan territory", French military sources said earlier.
Around 20 French aircraft were involved in Saturday's operation, the Reuters news agency reports.


French jets "destroyed a number of tanks and armoured vehicles", a defence ministry official told Reuters, adding that he could not immediately confirm the number.
Other air forces and navies are expected to join the French.
The US would use its "unique capabilities" to reinforce the no-fly zone, said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, warning that further delays would put more civilians at risk. However, Mrs Clinton said again that the US would not deploy ground troops in Libya.
A naval blockade is also being put in place, said Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. France is sending its Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Libyan coast, a military spokesman said.
In other developments:
  • Italy has offered the use of seven of its military bases which already house US, Nato and Italian forces
  • Canada says its fighter jets have now reached the region but will need two days to prepare for any missions
Earlier, pro-Gaddafi forces had attacked the rebel stronghold of Benghazi - although the Libyan government denied launching any assault.
The international community was intervening to stop the "murderous madness" of Col Gaddafi, Mr Sarkozy said.
"In Libya, the civilian population, which is demanding nothing more than the right to choose their own destiny, is in mortal danger," he warned. "It is our duty to respond to their anguished appeal."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Libya's claims to have implemented a ceasefire were "troubling", the AFP news agency reported.
The lack of confidence was so great that he did not trust what the Libyan leadership was saying, Mr Ban added.
Russia regretted the decision by Western powers to take military action, a foreign ministry spokesman said. Russia abstained from the UN vote on the Libya resolution, but did not use its veto.
The rebels' leader had earlier appealed to the international community to stop the bombardment by pro-Gaddafi forces.

A jet also appears to have been shot down over Benghazi. A rebel spokesman was quoted as saying the downed jet was a rebel plane.
Reports from Benghazi suggest hundreds of cars packed with people were fleeing eastwards as fighting spread.
The United Nations refugee agency says it is preparing to receive 200,000 people fleeing the fighting, amid reports of hundreds of cars full of people heading for the Egyptian border, while others are attempting to flee on foot.
The first families had arrived at the Egyptian border, extremely frightened and traumatised, saying some of their homes have been completely flattened said UNHCR spokeswoman Elizabeth Tan.
However, the BBC's Ben Brown, who is at the border, says so far there are a handful of families, in addition to the migrant workers who have been there since the crisis started.



Bahrain tears down protest symbol ,Bahrain Revolution




Authorities in Bahrain have torn down the statue at the centre of Pearl roundabout in the capital, Manama, where pro-democracy protests were held for weeks.
The concrete statue of six dhow sails holding up a pearl was demolished using drills and diggers on Friday.

The move came as security forces launched a crackdown on the protest camp, with thousands defying a ban on public gatherings to mourn the death of a protester during the recent violence.

Bahrain has arrested seven opposition leaders after weeks of protests that saw martial law being declared and troops from Saudi Arabia entering the tiny kingdom.
Weeks of protests – sometimes in violent clashes with security forces – by the Shia majority slid into sectarian violence and crippled the economy.

On Friday Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, Bahrain's foreign minister, said the demolition of the statue was an effort to erase "bad memories".
He reiterated Bahrain's commitment to talks with the opposition but said security was a priority, and that three or four Gulf states were sending troops and will remain in the city until order is restored.

Speaking to reporters in Manama, Sheikh Khaled said their role will be limited to guarding strategic assets such as oil facilities, and they will not be involved in quelling protests.

Limited role

"We look with all confidence to the return of normal life in Bahrain," he said. "We know dialogue is our path."
Denying there was any "systematic violence against the people" Sheikh Khaled said the royals had done their utmost to push for dialogue, allowing protests and offering assurances, but the opposition had rejected talks and started blocking main streets, while civilians began to clash daily.
"In volatile situations you do expect violence to happen but there is no systematic violence against the people," he added.

In all, three protesters have died in the security sweep. Three policemen were also killed, hit by cars driven by demonstrators.
Thousands of angry mourners buried an activist killed in a crackdown that has angered Iran and raised tension in the world's largest oil-exporting region.

Sheikh Issa Qassim, Bahrain's most influential Shia cleric, said during Friday sermon that Gulf troops would have been better off helping Palestinians in Gaza than entering Bahrain.
"The violence of the authorities has created a deep, wide and dangerous wound between the government and people," he said.

"The government wants to break our will so we give up our calls for substantial and meaningful reforms, but they will never break our will. They can use tanks and planes to smash our bodies but will never break our souls and our will for reforms."

Psychological victory
The statue that was demolished comprised six sails symbolising each of the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, holding up a pearl, symbol of the pearl fishing heritage that was the economic mainstay of the region before the discovery of oil.
"It is a kind of psychological victory for the protesters," said Hussein Oraibi, who works in telecommunications.

"It upset them so much that people were gathering there, they had to go out of their way to pull this down and change the traffic directions."
Al Jazeera's correspondent in Bahrain, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, said the monument "was the centre of the protests for a month; it was seen as being symbolic of anti-government sentiment.
"It seems rather strange that by removing it there is the thought that that symbolism will disappear ... [The destruction] is very symbolic of that final stage in the last couple of days of this huge great crackdown on the opposition."


More than 60 per cent of Bahrainis are Shia, and most are campaigning for a constitutional monarchy.
But calls by hardliners for the overthrow of the monarchy have alarmed Sunnis, who fear the unrest serves Iran, separated from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by only a short stretch of Gulf waters.
Shia Muslim power Iran, which supports Shia groups in Iraq and Lebanon, complained to the United Nations and asked other neighbours to join it in urging Saudi Arabia to withdraw from Bahrain.
In a sign of rising tension, Bahrain condemned Iran for what it says is interference in the country's internal affairs.



Yemen declares 'state of emergency' ,Yemen Revolution


Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, has declared a nationwide state of emergency, after a violent crackdown on anti-government protests killed at least 41 people, and left scores more wounded, in the capital Sanaa.

Saleh said on Friday that the decision to impose the state of emergency was made by the country's national security council, but there was no immediate indication of how long it would last.
"The national security council announces a state of emergency across Yemen, and a curfew is set upon
armed people in all Yemeni provinces. And the security forces with the army will take responsibility for
stability," he said.

He also expressed "sorrow for what happened today in university square".
The Reuters news agency reported Saleh as saying that it was clear that there were "armed elements" amongst anti-government protesters, and that the clashes earlier in the day were between citizens and protesters, not protesters and security forces.
At least 41 people were killed and scores wounded after the Yemeni security forces opened fire on protesters at University square, in the capital Sanaa.

Security forces opened fire in attempts to prevent protesters from marching out of the square where they were gathered, sources said. Medical sources said the death toll was likely to rise.

Pro-government "thugs" also opened fire on protesters from houses close to University square, witnesses told the AFP news agency.
Muttahar al-Masri, the country's interior minister, put the death toll at 25, and said that a curfew was being imposed as part of the state of emergency.

'Hundreds' injured

Friday's attack came as tens of thousands gathered across the country, continuing to demand that Saleh - the country's ruler of 32 years - step down.

Al Jazeera correspondents in Sanaa reported that many protesters were shot in the head and neck; most of the injured were shot with live ammunition.

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Medics at a nearby medical centre told Al Jazeera almost 200 people were injured; many were in critical condition. One medic called the attack a "massacre".

Anti-government demonstrations were also held in other cities including Taiz, Ibb, Hodeidah, Aden, and Amran following Muslim midday prayers on Friday.
"They want to terrorise us, They want to drag us into a cycle of violence to make the revolution meaningless," said Jamal Anaam, an anti-government protester.

"We were protesting peacefully and they shot at us. I won't leave this place until the president goes, even if I have to die," said another demonstrator, Ahmad, 25.
"It is a massacre," said Mohammad al-Sabri, an opposition spokesman. "This is part of a criminal plan to kill off the protesters, and the president and his relatives are responsible for the bloodshed in Yemen today."
Jamal al-Sharaabi, a photojournalist for the independent weekly al-Masdar was killed in the firing, becoming the first journalist confirmed to have been killed in Yemen since unrest began, the Committee to Protect Journalists said late on Friday.

Opposition rejects talks
The opposition says that there is no longer any possibility of talks with Saleh's government.
"We condemn these crimes," said Yassin Noman, rotating president of Yemen's umbrella opposition group. "There is no longer any possibility of mutual understanding with this regime and he has no choice but to surrender authority to the people."

Hissam Youssef, the chief of staff of the Arab League's secretary-general, told Al Jazeera that the body would be meeting to hold consultations on the latest violence in Yemen.
"What is happening in Yemen is extremely disturbing and it is a source of deep concern ... We have a clear position in relation to how to deal with people who are demonstrating peacefully, since this is their right. And we also feel that governments have to respond positively to the demands that are being placed by the people in different places.

"The situation in Yemen has been considered, but now the situation is escalating - we have asked for dialogue, we have asked for responding positively to the demands and concerns of the people, and we are continuing our consultations in this regard."

Standing firm
Ahead of the protests, hundreds of police patrolled the streets of Sanaa and elite forces set up fortifications around the presidential compound, ministries and the headquarters of Yemen's ruling party.
Government forces have previously used live fire, rubber bullets, and tear gas on anti-regime rallies, in the government's increasingly violent crackdown on protests.

Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula state neighbouring oil giant Saudi Arabia, has been hit by weeks of protests set in motion by uprisings in North Africa that toppled long-serving leaders in Tunisia and Egypt and spread to the Gulf states of Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Saleh has maintained a firm grip on power for over three decades and has scoffed at calls to step down, saying he will only do so when his current term of office expires in 2013.

Despite violence and threats, anti-government protesters refuse to cease demonstrating until Saleh's ouster.

Hashem Ahelbarra, Al Jazeera's Yemen correspondent, said that Saleh is now faced with a clear choice.
"He basically has two options. To say 'dialogue', but then the people will ask him we need guarantees and you have to implement them now; if he says 'No, I'm holding out', then there's going to be bloodshed."
Nabil Hasan al-Faqih, the country's tourism minister, resigned from both his post and membership of the ruling party late on Friday in protest against the killings.
"I did it today. I resigned from the government and the People's General Congress," he told Reuters, adding that his decision was a result of "the events the country is going through".
International condemnation
Ahelbarra also said that there is little faith in the Arab League amongst Yemenis.
"People in Yemen have no faith in the Arab League, they don't think that the Arab League can bring any solution to this crisis which is evolving now."
In a statement on Friday, Barack Obama, the US president, condemned the violence in Yemen, saying that President Saleh should honour a pledge to allow peaceful demonstrations. He said that those responsible for Friday's violence "must be held accountable".
Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said on Friday that the US wishes to see a "political solution" to the crisis.
""The United States is alarmed by today's violence in Sanaa against anti-government protesters and is seeking to verify reports that this is the result of actions by security forces," she said in a statement.
"I am dismayed by the reports coming from Yemen. I have repeatedly and unreservedly condemned the use of violence against protesters in Sanaa and other cities, and the loss of life," she said in a statement.
"Human rights and fundamental freedoms must be fully respected. President Saleh must stand by his commitments to uphold the right to peaceful protest, as he announced on 10 March. I ask him to stop violence now," she said.

Libyan forces 'enter outskirts of Benghazi' , Libya Revolutions


Reports from Libya say pro-government forces have entered the western outskirts of the opposition stronghold of Benghazi, with the city's south also believed to be under heavy bombardment.
 
Witnesses in Bengazi, in the east of the country, reported hearing large explosions in the area early on Saturday.

Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, reporting from Benghazi, told of multiple explosions taking place and a fighter jet being shot down.

Fresh fighting was also reported in the rebel-held towns of Misurata, near the capital Tripoli, and Ajdabiya, which lies close to Benghazi.

The Libyan government denied the reports. "There are no attacks whatesover on Benghazi. As we said, we
are observing the ceasefire," spokesperson Mussa Ibrahim told the Reuters news agency.

Barack Obama, the US president, delivered an ultimatum on Friday to Muammar Gaddafi, threatening military action if the Libyan leader ignored non-negotiable UN demands for a ceasefire.

The warning came shortly after the UN Security Council authorised a no-fly zone over the north African country.

The US also accused the Libyan government of violating the truce.
Within hours of Obama's ultimatum, Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, asked by CNN whether Gaddafi was in violation of these terms, said: "Yes, he is."

The Libyan government, for its part, accused rebel forces in Benghazi of violating the truce.
Khaled Kaim, the Libyan deputy foreign minister, said government forces were "not taking any action against [rebel forces] because we don't want to violate the ceasefire".
Libya's government announced on Friday an immediate ceasefire against pro-democracy protesters.
But residents in Misurata said they faced heavy bombardment through the night on Friday - a charge the Libyan government denied.

Military action 'imminent'
Following the no-fly-zone vote at the UN, a French diplomat said Western military intervention in Libya was imminent.

France is due to host a "decisive" summit on Saturday with the European Union, Arab League and African Union, as well as UN chief Ban Ki-moon, on taking UN-sanctioned military action in Libya.

Gerard Araud, the French ambassador to the UN, said he expected military intervention within hours of the summit.

"The US, the UK and France, we have also launched the ultimatum about the ceasefire ... we have set the conditions," he told BBC.

"So I guess that after the summit, I think that in the coming hours, I think we will go to launch the military intervention."
Obama made clear any military action would aim to change conditions across Libya - rather than just in the rebel-held east - by calling on Gaddafi''s forces to pull back from the western cities of Az Zawiyah and Misurata as well as from the east.

"All attacks against civilians must stop," Obama said on Saturday, a day after the UN Security Council passed a resolution authorising international military intervention.

Braced for battle
"Gaddafi must stop his troops from advancing on Benghazi, pull them back from Ajdabiya, Misurata and Az Zawiyah, and establish water, electricity and gas supplies to all areas. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to reach the people of Libya," Obama said.

"Let me be clear, these terms are not negotiable... If Gaddafi does not comply ... the resolution will be enforced through military action."

The reports of government forces entering Benghazi's western outskirts on Saturday followed a night of rumours that Gaddafi's troops were within striking distance of the city.
Hundreds of men, some riding in pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns, had flooded out of the city in response to a call from Benghazi's rebel-run radio to swiftly man their posts.

Several loud explosions, some of them followed by anti-aircraft fire, were heard inside Benghazi and new checkpoints sprang up as word spread that Gaddafi's forces could be on their way.
Kaim, Gaddafi's deputy foreign minister, had denied there were any plans to attack the rebel bastion.

Heavy bombardment
At a news conference, Kaim acknowledged that checkpoints had been set up outside rebel-held cities, but stressed that "any sovereign country is free to take [security] measures".
In Misurata, residents said they had faced heavy bombardment on Friday.

Misurata, like Az Zawiyah, had been left stranded in the west while rebels who had advanced towards them from the east were beaten back by a counter-offensive by Gaddafi forces.
A doctor, who declined to give his name, said by telephone late on Friday evening, "now they are on the outskirts of the city [Misurata]. I can still hear bombing from time to time".

In Tripoli the government said there had been no bombing since it announced the ceasefire.
"We have had no bombardment of any kind since the ceasefire was declared," Kaim said, when asked about reports of continued government operations in Misurata and other parts of the country.

Arab Revolutions Pictures , Revolutions Pictures , Pictures of arab revolutions