Syria Live Blog

Syrian anti-government protesters hold a pre-Baath Syrian flag during a demonstration in the southern city of Daraa [AFP]

Protests in Syria have escalated into what some are calling a buregoning civil war, and the United Nations says more than 9,000 people have been killed since the uprising began in March last year. The government blames terrorists and "armed gangs" for the unrest and says more than 2,500 members of its security forces have been killed.

We bring you the latest news from various sources.

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1 hour 30 min ago - New York City

The United Nations Security Council has postponed a vote on sending unarmed observers into Syria.

With a tenuous ceasefire holding inside the country, a quick resolution had been expected.

More divisions have emerged on the security council, however, with Russia again at odds with western diplomats. 

Al Jazeera's Cath Turner reports from the UN headquarters in New York City.

Tags syria, United Nations
4 hours 41 min ago - Syria

Each week, the main Syrian Revolution Facebook page posts a poll and calls on Syrians to vote to choose a banner for the Friday protests.

The slogan for this Friday's demonstrations was chosen after a fierce online competition among activists. Some described it as a battle between secularists and moderates on one side and those with strong Islamist views on the other.

Click here to read our feature: The battle to name Syria's Friday protests.

Tags Friday protests, Revolution for all Syrians
5 hours 13 min ago - New York City

Cath Turner, Al Jazeera's correspondent at the United Nations, confirms that the vote on the draft resolution authorising a 3-member UN observer mission will not be held today.

It is now scheduled for 11:00am local time (15:00 GMT) on Saturday.

The disagreement seems to centre on the question of access: the Russian version of the draft resolution has removed reference to a requirement that observers be given  immediate guarantees of complete access. It also removes condemnation of alleged human rights abuses and the mention of possible "further measures" against Assad's government if it does not comply.

Diplomats involved in the discussions say that the debate on the text has been extremely detailed, with each sentence being argued over.

Tags syria, United Nations Security Council
8 hours 25 min ago - Syria

Officials say President Barack Obama has decided to ramp up US aid, including communication equipment and medical supplies, to the Syrian opposition.

They say Obama signed off on the package last week.

Washington had been providing satellite phones, SIM cards and other such equipment already but the level of assistance will now be increased. Officials say the goods are being sent to Syria's nonviolent, political opposition and not armed rebels.

Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter [AP].

Tags Barack Obama, communication, medical supplies, opposition groups, satellite phones
10 hours 35 min ago - Syria

Activists say one of the biggest Friday protests was held in the Damascus suburb of Douma, an opposition stronghold where many people have been killed during the uprising.

Tags Douma, protest, syria citizen video
11 hours 25 min ago - Syria

Thousands of Syrians have marched to test the regime's commitment to a UN-backed peace plan, as the fragile two-day old ceasefire is shaken by the fatal shooting of five civilians by security forces.

The hard-won truce to end a 13-month crackdown on dissent that has cost an estimated more than 10,000 lives appeared to be holding, but French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he did not expect it to last. He questioned President Bashar al-Assad's sincerity and appealed for [UN] observers to monitor his compliance [AFP]

Tags ceasefire, civilians, damascus, shooting
11 hours 28 min ago - Syria

The Russian ambassador to the UN says the UN Security Council draft resolution on Syria "needs additional work" and that it goes against the spirit of discussion on the need for a simple resolution authorising a monitoring mission into the country, according to Al Jazeera's producer Benedict Moran in New York.

Tags New York, Russian UN ambassador, Security Council
13 hours 40 min ago - Syria

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, is holding talks in Riyadh to discuss a number of regional issues, including the conflict in Syria.

Tags Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
15 hours 1 min ago - Syria

Protests have broken out across Syria in the wake of a more than 24-hour-old ceasefire, prompting a government response that has reportedly left at least one person dead.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in a display that, while not as large as the protests last year, indicated that the groundswell of anger remains against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that one protester was killed in Hama, though other activists claimed two people had been shot dead by soldiers at a checkpoint.

This video shows a protest in Kernaz, Hama province:

 

This shows a demonstration in Quseir, Homs province:

 

And this in Darya, a Damascus suburb:

Tags ceasefire, Hama, protests, syria citizen video
19 hours 55 min ago - Syria

Al Jazeera correspondent John Hasasu, reporting from the Turkish border town of Uluyol, reports that residents there say their relatives inside Syria witnessed roughly two hours of fighting in the nearby town of Khirbet al-Jouz this morning.

Hasasu said soldiers backed by tanks seemed to be preparing for an operation on the north side of the town and that government troops had been stationed in the area for four months.

The gunfire could be heard in Uluyol, he said.

Sporadic violations of the day-old ceasefire negotiated by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan have been reported, but the clashes would be the most serious fighting. No casualties were reported.

Tags ceasefire, fighting, john hasasu, khirbet al jouz
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