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| Syria crisis: aftermath of Damascus asssassinations - live updates | Syria crisis: aftermath of Damascus asssassinations - live updates |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 9.26am: Syria: Government forces are shelling a number of neighbourhoods in and around the capital Damascus this morning, AP reports citing anti-regime activists. | |
| The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported shelling in number of areas Thursday. It says residents are fleeing parts of the Mezzeh neighbourhood after troops surrounded it and clashed with local rebels. | |
| The group says rebels damaged one helicopter and disabled three military vehicles. | |
| It adds that following yesterday's bombing the whereabouts of President Assad, his wife and his three young children remain unknown. | |
| Damascus - Zamalkeh :: Reports of rocket shelling of the city with helicopters since this morning.#Syria | |
| — أخبار الثورة السورية (@NewsSyRev) July 19, 2012 | |
| 8.59am: Syria/Lebanon: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has offered condolences over the assassinations in Damascus yesterday. In a speech to mark the anniversary of the 2006 war with Israel, he said: | |
| "We are sad over the killing of the three because they were comrades-in-arms to the resistance and comrades in the [struggle] against the enemy," – adding: "Israel is happy today because there are pillars in the Syrian army that have been targeted and killed." | |
| The Beirut Daily Star reports: | |
| He reiterated his call for dialogue between the regime and opposition groups to solve the crisis in Syria. | |
| "We renew our call for the protection of Syria, its people and army. The only solution is through the acceptance of dialogue and this should be done swiftly," Nasrallah said. | |
| He voiced confidence that the Syrian army wound stand fast in the face of armed rebel and opposition groups seeking to topple the Assad regime. | |
| "We are confident that the Syrian army, which has had to cope with the intolerable, has the ability, determination and resolve to endure and foil the enemies' hopes," Nasrallah added. | |
| Observers are predicting increased political problems for Hezbollah in Lebanon because of its close ties with the Syrian regime. In an article for Foreign Affairs, Mona Yacoubian explains: | |
| Hezbollah faces a moment of reckoning. The increasingly likely demise of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Damascus would deprive the militant Lebanese Shia organisation of one of its main patrons and could constrain its ability to play an active role in regional politics. | |
| Moreover, by offering up unbridled support for Syria, Hezbollah has placed itself at odds with the popular revolts that are unseating autocratic rulers across the Arab world, undermining the narratives of resistance and justice for the oppressed that it has long espoused. | |
| Facing the loss of a key ally and with its credibility compromised, an off-balance Hezbollah could turn inward, deepening its involvement in Lebanese politics in order to consolidate its power. | |
| 8.42am: Syria: Frank Gardner of the BBC tweets that £100m of the regime's assets have been frozen in Britain. He's promising more details shortly. | 8.42am: Syria: Frank Gardner of the BBC tweets that £100m of the regime's assets have been frozen in Britain. He's promising more details shortly. |
| BBC learns that £100m of #Syria regime assets found and frozen in UK, part of EU sanctions on 129 individs, 49 entities. My report to follow | BBC learns that £100m of #Syria regime assets found and frozen in UK, part of EU sanctions on 129 individs, 49 entities. My report to follow |
| — Frank Gardner (@FrankRGardner) July 19, 2012 | — Frank Gardner (@FrankRGardner) July 19, 2012 |
| 8.20am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. | 8.20am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. |
| Here's a roundup of the latest on Syria: | Here's a roundup of the latest on Syria: |
| • Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in the coastal city of Latakia, directing a response to the assassination of three of his most senior henchmen, opposition sources and a Western diplomat told Reuters. Assad, who has not made a public appearance since Wednesday's attack was commanding the government operation, they said. It was not clear whether Assad travelled to the Mediterranean sea resort before or after the attack. | • Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in the coastal city of Latakia, directing a response to the assassination of three of his most senior henchmen, opposition sources and a Western diplomat told Reuters. Assad, who has not made a public appearance since Wednesday's attack was commanding the government operation, they said. It was not clear whether Assad travelled to the Mediterranean sea resort before or after the attack. |
| • David Cameron has urged Assad to step down to avert Syria's descent into civil war. Speaking on a visit to Kabul, the prime minister, said that a civil war was inevitable if Assad did not heed the call. | • David Cameron has urged Assad to step down to avert Syria's descent into civil war. Speaking on a visit to Kabul, the prime minister, said that a civil war was inevitable if Assad did not heed the call. |
| • The state news agency, Sana, has confirmed the death of three members of Assad's inner circle: Dawoud Rajha, the defence minister; Asef Shawkat, the assistant vice president; and Hassan Turkmani, the crisis management chief. It has no word on the condition of the interior minister Mohammad Shaar, who state TV reported killed yesterday. | • The state news agency, Sana, has confirmed the death of three members of Assad's inner circle: Dawoud Rajha, the defence minister; Asef Shawkat, the assistant vice president; and Hassan Turkmani, the crisis management chief. It has no word on the condition of the interior minister Mohammad Shaar, who state TV reported killed yesterday. |
| • The killings put the Syria's uprising into uncharted territory. | • The killings put the Syria's uprising into uncharted territory. |
| Mass defections of soldiers and a rampage by pro-regime militiamen were reported in the capital amid a swirl of rumours, including one that Assad's wife, Asma, had fled to Russia and another that troops were being issued with gas masks, raising fears of the use of chemical weapons. | Mass defections of soldiers and a rampage by pro-regime militiamen were reported in the capital amid a swirl of rumours, including one that Assad's wife, Asma, had fled to Russia and another that troops were being issued with gas masks, raising fears of the use of chemical weapons. |
| • President Barack Obama called Russia's president Vladimir Putin today to discuss the crisis after the White House warned that the situation was spinning out of control. The White House said Putin agreed on to support a political transition. Earlier, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said: "It's clear that the Assad regime is losing control of Syria. There is real momentum against Assad, with increasing defections, and a strengthened and more united opposition that is operating across the country." | • President Barack Obama called Russia's president Vladimir Putin today to discuss the crisis after the White House warned that the situation was spinning out of control. The White House said Putin agreed on to support a political transition. Earlier, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said: "It's clear that the Assad regime is losing control of Syria. There is real momentum against Assad, with increasing defections, and a strengthened and more united opposition that is operating across the country." |
| • The Obama administration is working on contingency plans for a collapse of the Syrian government, focusing particularly on the chemical weapons that the Assad regime could try to use on opposition forces and civilians, the New York Times reports. Pentagon officials were in talks with Israeli defense officials about whether Israel might move to destroy Syrian weapons facilities, two administration official said without advocating such an attack. | • The Obama administration is working on contingency plans for a collapse of the Syrian government, focusing particularly on the chemical weapons that the Assad regime could try to use on opposition forces and civilians, the New York Times reports. Pentagon officials were in talks with Israeli defense officials about whether Israel might move to destroy Syrian weapons facilities, two administration official said without advocating such an attack. |
| • A UN security council vote on Syria has been postponed until later today following a request from international envoy Kofi Annan. The council is due to vote on a UK drafted resolution that threatens sanctions against the Assad regime under chapter 7 of the UN charter. Russia has indicated that it will veto the resolution. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon and Annan called on the security council to take strong action on Syria. | • A UN security council vote on Syria has been postponed until later today following a request from international envoy Kofi Annan. The council is due to vote on a UK drafted resolution that threatens sanctions against the Assad regime under chapter 7 of the UN charter. Russia has indicated that it will veto the resolution. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon and Annan called on the security council to take strong action on Syria. |
| • Is the murder of the Syrian strongmen the beginning of the end? Martin Chulov warns it could be the start of something far worse. | • Is the murder of the Syrian strongmen the beginning of the end? Martin Chulov warns it could be the start of something far worse. |
| Whether the fear factor has been broken will be decisive. Have the opposition's gains galvanised waverers in the regime to join them? Does the regime still have the capacity to shut down violence with overwhelming force? Does it have a new crew of leaders who can command the same loyalty and instil the same fear? | Whether the fear factor has been broken will be decisive. Have the opposition's gains galvanised waverers in the regime to join them? Does the regime still have the capacity to shut down violence with overwhelming force? Does it have a new crew of leaders who can command the same loyalty and instil the same fear? |
| Despite Wednesday's tumultuous events, the key items on the opposition's wish list – defections and weapons re-supplies – have not until this point given them a critical mass. And despite yesterday's setback, reprisals and a counterattack by the regime still do seem inevitable. | Despite Wednesday's tumultuous events, the key items on the opposition's wish list – defections and weapons re-supplies – have not until this point given them a critical mass. And despite yesterday's setback, reprisals and a counterattack by the regime still do seem inevitable. |
| • "The opposition has hit the jackpot," according to Nadim Shehadi, a Middle East analyst at the thinktank Chatham House in London. | • "The opposition has hit the jackpot," according to Nadim Shehadi, a Middle East analyst at the thinktank Chatham House in London. |
| The consequences are too big to digest. It may provoke more violence by the regime. Everyone is revising their calculations. People will be deciding whether to defect or not and the Russians will be wondering if they have backed the wrong horse. | The consequences are too big to digest. It may provoke more violence by the regime. Everyone is revising their calculations. People will be deciding whether to defect or not and the Russians will be wondering if they have backed the wrong horse. |