17:49 The LCCS posted about the disastrous situation in Zabadani. 10 have died today and more than 40 were injured. The humanitarian situation is terrible. There are reports of shortage of medical supply but also fuel and food supplies. The town has been under heavy attack as the regime is trying to regain control of the city. 17:38 According to activists interviewed by Al-Jazeera the death toll in Syria has now reached 134. 17:21 Another dramatic video was posted earlier on Youtube showing a Syrian doctor in Baba Amro (see 12:31) expressing his exasperation and distress regarding the situation. The video shows five little girls from the same family who have been injured. The doctor is saying that they have been calling for help for the past 5 days but no one has come to their rescue. WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO
17:05 Activist Danny Dayem has been reporting from Homs. On Thursday another video was posted on Youtube. He reports from a house in Baba Amro, one of the neighbourhood in Homs that has been constinuously shelled for the past 6 days. In the video we can see siblings who have been injured, in the background we can also hear the sound of explosions. Although the video is not graphic it can be shocking. "We have over 100 bodies. Over 200 beneath the destructions. We dont even know who they are."
16:34 According to Al-Jazeera, the Libyan foreign ministry ordered the staff of the Syrian embassy in Libya to leave the country within 72 hours. 16:25 Back to Syria, according to activists and doctors teh death toll has now reached 126, including 107 deaths in Homs. However the LCCS says they are unable to document the names and therefore confirm "due to the intense shelling". 16:03 Still in Bahrain, a video posted an hour ago by activist S.Yousif Almuhafda (@ SAIDYOUSIF) shows riot police in Bahrain shooting tear gas within residential areas and possibly inside houses in the village of Samaheej.
15:18 Meanwhile in Bahrain. ESPN reported today that Members of the House of Lords asked the FIA to cancel the Bahrain Grand Prix after a British man lost two fingers in a sword attack in Karranah. In a letter addressed to the Times, the Lords described the situation as "dire" and that the situation was not conducive to hold the Bahrain Grand Prix. Protests continue in Bahrain ahead of one-year anniversary. The week-long sit-in ended Wednesday night. Five opposition parties had organized a five-day event in Miqsha. The event involved speeches delivered from the main figures of the movement. 14:59 The main opposition in Syria, the Syrian National Council (SNC), was meeting in Qatar on Thursday to discuss the situation in their country after the escalation of violence over the past 6 days. The meeting will last three days. During this meeting will also be discussed the French proposal to create a "friends of Syria" grouping. Two other important meetings will take place on Sunday in Cairo. The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League will hold two different meetings. 14:39 The LCCS says sounds explosions can be heard in the city of Saraqeb in Idlib province (northwestern Syria). The sounds of heavy shooting from heavy machine guns also resonate across the city. The death toll is likely to rise. 14:20 According to the LCCS the death toll has now reached 105 in Syria, including 93 in Homs. The LCCS also reported more army tanks being deployed. This video shows tanks reportedly heading to Zabadani, which is under heavy shelling (see 11:56). Activists describe the situation as "tragic” asserting that the army “is arbitrarily shelling the city.” (NOW Lebanon)
14:15 Earlier (see 12:41) we were reporting about military aircraft flying over Homs and randomly bombing the area. A video emerged allegedly showing military aircraft over Baba amro
14:05 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least seven security forces were killed in a rebel ambush near the southern Syrian town of Daraa and dozens were wounded on Thursday. 12:56 The LCCS says 65 people were killed across Syria today including 56 in Homs. 12:50 Army tanks were seen entering the city of Qoria in Dier Ezzor (LCCS). This footage reportedly shows two tanks entering Qoria.
12:41 The LCCS says the death toll in Homs has now reached 57. It adds that more than 70 people were injured "due to the continued violent shelling by the regime's army". According to the Local Coordinating Committees of Syria more than 300 missiles were fired today. It also mentions war planes "randomly bombing buildings". Earlier this morning CBS news reported helicopters bombing Homs. https://twitter.com/#!/CBSNews/status/167542214065537024 A field doctor told the LCCS that they were missing medical supplies and medical equipment. 12:31 A Syrian doctor working in a field hospital in Baba Amro sends a very moving message to nations around the world as blitz continues in Homs (Video subtitled in English 08/01/12). "I would like to send a request to the Syrian red crescent and countries of power to intervene and stop this massacre and genocide [...] we have no one left to turn to but God" WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO
12:06 Heavy shelling continue in Homs. According to activists, 24 people were killed in Homs on Thursday. As to Al-Arabiya it reported 31 deaths on Thursday morning. According to activist 400 people have been killed in Homs only since the beginning of the assault on Saturday. Shelling of Baba Amro (Homs) Thursday morning
11:56 As we mentioned earlier (see 9:19) the town of Zadabani is under attack. This video reportedly shows Zadabani being shelled.
11:23 China announced on Thursday that it met with the National Coordination Board (NCB) a Syrian opposition chaired by Hassan Abdel Azim this week in Beijing. China has been severely criticized after vetoing UN resolution last Saturday condemning the regime of President Bashar al-Assad’s bloody repression which has killed between 6 000 and 7 000 people since the beginning of the uprising. The spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said the meeting was long scheduled and was not linked to the veto. Contrary to Syrian National Council (SNC), another opposition group, the NCB is like China against foreign intervention in Syria. 11:20 Germany announced on Thursday that it expelled four diplomats from the Syrian embassy in Berlin. Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Thursday that the move followed the recent arrest of two people suspected of spying on Syrian opposition figures in Germany. 9:28 According to the BBC, since this morning 13 people were killed in Homs. 9:25 Here is a video of this morning in Baba Armo (Homs). The video shows a mosque that has been shelled. In the background we can hear the sound of explosions.
9:19 The Syrian regime's attack on Homs has entered a sixth day. According to activists the number of people killed on Wednesday range from 40 to more than a 100. Homs is not the only city being targeted by the regime. The town of Zabadani located in the Damascus suburbs has also undergone heavy shelling. The regime is trying to regain control of the city which is in the hands of the rebels. According to the Local Coordinating Committees of Syria (LCCS) the siege of Zabadani and of Madaya has resulted in 18 civilians dead, 100 injured and 500 displaced. The siege also deepened the humanitarian crisis in both towns. The LCCS also added that Rankous, a Syrian village and summer resort in the province's Damascus countryside located in Mount Qalamoun, 45 km from Damascus is besieged. The regime reportedly the main water supply. 9:17 Catch up on yesterday's main events in Syria with our live blog.
