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| Syria: bombs hit Aleppo as tanks pound Homs - live updates | Syria: bombs hit Aleppo as tanks pound Homs - live updates |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 9.56am: Ayat Basma, a Beirut-based reporter for Reuters, tweets a sample of what Syrian TV is showing from the aftermath of the reported bomb blasts in Aleppo. | |
| Image from syria state tv broadcast frm Aleppo , medics showing remains of bodies twitter.com/AyatBasma/stat… | |
| — Ayat Basma (@AyatBasma) February 10, 2012 | |
| 9.28am: Dissident Syrian blogger Ammar Abdulhamid argues that the continuing assault on Homs meets many of the legal elements included in the legal definition of genocide. | |
| "They are intentionally destroying members of a certain religious group," he claims. | |
| When the Guardian quoted residents of Homs describing the attack as "genocidal", a reader complained that this was an incorrect and immoral use of the term. | |
| The reader, who gave his name as Joseph, wrote: | |
| The definition of genocide is: "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group". Your writers, and the writers of many other publications, use it incorrectly all too often. What is happening in Syria is tragic, certainly could be called a crime against humanity, etc, but it is not genocide. It is civil war. Misusing genocide as frequently and mainstream journalists seem to love to do is inappropriate, unprofessional, and immoral in the sense that it is crying wolf and diminishing the severity of the word and the magnitude of the times genocide has actually occurred. | |
| 9.11am: Syria TV is reported to be showing the remains of people the government claims were blown up by terrorists in Aleppo. | 9.11am: Syria TV is reported to be showing the remains of people the government claims were blown up by terrorists in Aleppo. |
| It was quick to broadcast similar images of the apparent victims of the blasts in Damascus. | It was quick to broadcast similar images of the apparent victims of the blasts in Damascus. |
| AP reports: | AP reports: |
| A weeping television presenter on state-run TV showed graphic footage of at least five corpses, saying the blasts went off near a public garden where children had been playing. Debris filled the street and residential buildings appeared to have their windows shattered. | A weeping television presenter on state-run TV showed graphic footage of at least five corpses, saying the blasts went off near a public garden where children had been playing. Debris filled the street and residential buildings appeared to have their windows shattered. |
| Activists continue to suspect the attack is a propaganda ploy. | Activists continue to suspect the attack is a propaganda ploy. |
| Blow up people then broadcast the gory aftermath on morning TV. What an utterly disgusting regime! #Aleppo | Blow up people then broadcast the gory aftermath on morning TV. What an utterly disgusting regime! #Aleppo |
| — BSyria (@BSyria) February 10, 2012 | — BSyria (@BSyria) February 10, 2012 |
| 9.07am: Martin Chulov, who is near Homs, says fighting has been less intense so far today. | 9.07am: Martin Chulov, who is near Homs, says fighting has been less intense so far today. |
| Quiet so far near #Homs today. Rainy morning cleared & crowds gathering for rally. Gunfire crackling, but not like y'day #Syria | Quiet so far near #Homs today. Rainy morning cleared & crowds gathering for rally. Gunfire crackling, but not like y'day #Syria |
| — Martin Chulov (@martinchulov) February 10, 2012 | — Martin Chulov (@martinchulov) February 10, 2012 |
| Intense battle this town near #Homs yday. Heavy FSA casualties. Medical clinic over-run. "They're coming for us," one Dr said. He's right | Intense battle this town near #Homs yday. Heavy FSA casualties. Medical clinic over-run. "They're coming for us," one Dr said. He's right |
| — Martin Chulov (@martinchulov) February 10, 2012 | — Martin Chulov (@martinchulov) February 10, 2012 |
| 8.54am: Syria's state media said the bombs in Aleppo targeted a military security branch and a police headquarters. | 8.54am: Syria's state media said the bombs in Aleppo targeted a military security branch and a police headquarters. |
| The reported attacks come after similar Friday bomb attacks in Damascus on 23 December and 6 January. Activists claimed the Assad regime staged those attacks. Scepticism has also greeted reports from Aleppo. | The reported attacks come after similar Friday bomb attacks in Damascus on 23 December and 6 January. Activists claimed the Assad regime staged those attacks. Scepticism has also greeted reports from Aleppo. |
| Two explosions rock Aleppo, obviously another Regime charade on the bodies of innocent civilians and some of its cronies #syria | Two explosions rock Aleppo, obviously another Regime charade on the bodies of innocent civilians and some of its cronies #syria |
| — Ahmad Shaheen (@Ahmad_Shaheen) February 10, 2012 | — Ahmad Shaheen (@Ahmad_Shaheen) February 10, 2012 |
| 8.36am: (all times GMT) Welcome to Middle East Live. "A grinding war of attrition has now become an unforgiving battle to the death," the Guardian's Martin Chulov reports from the outskirts of Homs. We hope to be hearing more frontline updates from Martin, later. | 8.36am: (all times GMT) Welcome to Middle East Live. "A grinding war of attrition has now become an unforgiving battle to the death," the Guardian's Martin Chulov reports from the outskirts of Homs. We hope to be hearing more frontline updates from Martin, later. |
| For now here's a roundup of the latest developments: | For now here's a roundup of the latest developments: |
| Syria | Syria |
| • Two explosions have hit Syria's second city of Aleppo, killing civilians and members of the security forces, according to state media. The state news agency Sana blamed terrorists for the attack. | • Two explosions have hit Syria's second city of Aleppo, killing civilians and members of the security forces, according to state media. The state news agency Sana blamed terrorists for the attack. |
| • Syrian troops sealed off the population of a rebel stronghold in the city of Homs on Thursday and bombarded it using tanks, helicopters and artillery, as the international community struggled to find a common voice with which to confront President Bashar al-Assad. Eyewitnesses said roads in and out of Baba Amr, in the south-east of Homs, were blocked, preventing the evacuation of children or the wounded, and food, water and medicine were running out fast in the besieged suburb. | • Syrian troops sealed off the population of a rebel stronghold in the city of Homs on Thursday and bombarded it using tanks, helicopters and artillery, as the international community struggled to find a common voice with which to confront President Bashar al-Assad. Eyewitnesses said roads in and out of Baba Amr, in the south-east of Homs, were blocked, preventing the evacuation of children or the wounded, and food, water and medicine were running out fast in the besieged suburb. |
| • All day medics at a makeshift triage centre tended dead and seriously wounded men, many of them members of the badly outgunned Free Syrian Army, Martin Chulov reports near Homs. A medical student told him: | • All day medics at a makeshift triage centre tended dead and seriously wounded men, many of them members of the badly outgunned Free Syrian Army, Martin Chulov reports near Homs. A medical student told him: |
| There have been more than 100 people killed today. We all have family in Homs and we are very worried about the situation there. It is much worse than here. Every day it has been getting worse here and there. No one is coming for us and we accept our fate. | There have been more than 100 people killed today. We all have family in Homs and we are very worried about the situation there. It is much worse than here. Every day it has been getting worse here and there. No one is coming for us and we accept our fate. |
| • Robert Ford, the US ambassador to Syria who was recalled last week, has spoken of his "horror and revulsion" at the Syrian government assault on Homs. In a Facebook update he posted satellite images showing evidence of mortar attacks on Homs. | • Robert Ford, the US ambassador to Syria who was recalled last week, has spoken of his "horror and revulsion" at the Syrian government assault on Homs. In a Facebook update he posted satellite images showing evidence of mortar attacks on Homs. |
| He wrote: | He wrote: |
| It is odd to me that anyone would try to equate the actions of the Syrian army and armed opposition groups since the Syrian government consistently initiates the attacks on civilian areas, and it is using its heaviest weapons ... | It is odd to me that anyone would try to equate the actions of the Syrian army and armed opposition groups since the Syrian government consistently initiates the attacks on civilian areas, and it is using its heaviest weapons ... |
| As the United States' Ambassador to Syria I will work with colleagues in Washington to support apeaceful transition for the Syrian people. We and our international partners hope to see a transition that reaches out and includes all of Syria's communities and that gives all Syrians hope for a better future. My year in Syria tells me such a transition is possible, but not when one side constantly initiates attacks against people taking shelter in their homes. | As the United States' Ambassador to Syria I will work with colleagues in Washington to support apeaceful transition for the Syrian people. We and our international partners hope to see a transition that reaches out and includes all of Syria's communities and that gives all Syrians hope for a better future. My year in Syria tells me such a transition is possible, but not when one side constantly initiates attacks against people taking shelter in their homes. |
| • A compilation of clips from the last 24 hours shows some of the latest violence in Homs and Idlib. The footage includes a Free Syrian Army attack on a military checkpoint in Homs. | • A compilation of clips from the last 24 hours shows some of the latest violence in Homs and Idlib. The footage includes a Free Syrian Army attack on a military checkpoint in Homs. |
| • Barack Obama has condemned the "outrageous bloodshed" in Syria. Speaking after a meeting with the Italian prime minister Mario Monti, he said: | • Barack Obama has condemned the "outrageous bloodshed" in Syria. Speaking after a meeting with the Italian prime minister Mario Monti, he said: |
| We discussed a wide range of diplomatic concern, including the situation in Syria, where we both have a great interest in ending the outrageous bloodshed that we've seen and seeing a transition from the current government that has been assaulting its people. | We discussed a wide range of diplomatic concern, including the situation in Syria, where we both have a great interest in ending the outrageous bloodshed that we've seen and seeing a transition from the current government that has been assaulting its people. |
| • Middle East analyst Marc Lynch sets out six reasons why the international community should not arm the Syrian opposition. Summing up his arguments in Foreign Policy magazine, he writes: | • Middle East analyst Marc Lynch sets out six reasons why the international community should not arm the Syrian opposition. Summing up his arguments in Foreign Policy magazine, he writes: |
| Arming the Syrian opposition is not a cheap and effective substitute for military intervention, and it is not a generally harmless way to "do something." It does not guarantee either the protection of the Syrian people or the end of the Assad regime. It is more likely to produce a protracted stalemate, increased violence, more regional and international meddling, and eventual calls for direct military intervention. It's probably going to happen whether or not the United States plays a role, though -- but at least we should know what we're getting into. | Arming the Syrian opposition is not a cheap and effective substitute for military intervention, and it is not a generally harmless way to "do something." It does not guarantee either the protection of the Syrian people or the end of the Assad regime. It is more likely to produce a protracted stalemate, increased violence, more regional and international meddling, and eventual calls for direct military intervention. It's probably going to happen whether or not the United States plays a role, though -- but at least we should know what we're getting into. |
| Egypt | Egypt |
| • The Muslim Brotherhood, which dominates the new parliament, has called for the Egypt's military rulers to cede power immediately, the New York Times reports. The Brotherhood, had previously said it was content to wait for the June deadline by which the generals had pledged to turn over power. | • The Muslim Brotherhood, which dominates the new parliament, has called for the Egypt's military rulers to cede power immediately, the New York Times reports. The Brotherhood, had previously said it was content to wait for the June deadline by which the generals had pledged to turn over power. |
| Bahrain | Bahrain |
| • Bahrain should stop prosecuting "all persons accused of offences involving political expression," US chief human rights envoy said, the LA Times reports. Assistant secretary of state Michael Posner expressed concerns about police using excessive force, including "widespread and sometimes indiscriminate use of tear gas." But he also condemned protesters for attacking police with Molotov cocktails and urged them to eschew violence next week, the one-year anniversary of the protests. | • Bahrain should stop prosecuting "all persons accused of offences involving political expression," US chief human rights envoy said, the LA Times reports. Assistant secretary of state Michael Posner expressed concerns about police using excessive force, including "widespread and sometimes indiscriminate use of tear gas." But he also condemned protesters for attacking police with Molotov cocktails and urged them to eschew violence next week, the one-year anniversary of the protests. |