Syria Live Blog - April 18

Syria Live Blog - April 18

Thousands continue to take to the streets across Syria, despite reform pledges by president Bashar al-Assad. We bring you the latest news from our correspondents and other sources.

Syria Spotlight

All times given are local (GMT+3)

• Timestamp: 

  5:54am

  Amateur video published by the Sham news agency shows how a wounded or dead man is being carried from what is believed to be Clock Square in Homs. Al Jazeera cannot independently verify the authenticity of this footage:  

• Timestamp: 

  5:20am

  The first video of the shooting at Clock Square in Homs appeared in YouTube. Al Jazeera cannot independently verify the authenticity of this footage.  

• Timestamp: 

  4:55am

  At least two people were injured in the shooting at Clock Square in Homs. Unconfirmed reports say that a number of people were killed when security forces opened fire at protesters, however, Al Jazeera cannot independently verify this.  

  Eyewitnesses say people at Clock Square were given until 2:30am local time to leave the square and by 2:15am security forces opened fire.

• Timestamp: 

  4:00am

  Reports on twitter say tanks are rolling into the centre of Homs. Heavy gunfire is also reported and security forces allegedly broke into Khaled bin al-Waleed mosque. Al Jazeera cannot independently verify these reports.

• Timestamp: 

  3:50am

  A wrap-up of the latest developments in Homs by Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith: 

• Timestamp: 

  3:26am

  Al Jazeera's Cal Perry, in Damascus, says witnesses in Homs tell him that several people are wounded and rushed to hospital in cars, but medics are unable to reach the square because of gunfire. He's also told people are afraid to go to the hospital, thinking that if they go, security forces will be waiting for them there and they will end up in detention.

• Timestamp: 

  2:48am

  The sit-in by protesters at Clock Square in Homs shortly before security forces allegedly opened fire that the crowds [twitpic by @Shantal7afana]

• Timestamp: 

  2:40am

  A protester at the Clock Square in Homs says many people are dead after security forces open fire at protesters. Al Jazeera cannot verify these reports. 

• Timestamp: 

  2:16am

  Syrian forces fired shots at hundreds of protesters who had gathered overnight in Homs city in defiance of warning by the authorities to halt what they called an insurrection, a rights campaigner said.

  A member of the security police addressed the protesters at Clock Square through a loud speaker asking them to leave, and then the forces opened fire, said the human rights campaigner, who is in contact with protesters in the square.

  Two residents of Homs said they also heard the sound of gunfire coming from around the square.

• Timestamp: 

  12:50am

  Another picture from Homs, of protesters praying in front of the clock tower. 

  
  Uploaded by Razan Saffour

• Timestamp: 

  12:09am

  Activist Suhair Atassi wrote in an email update a short while ago that there are 10,000 people gathered in the centre of Homs, including 400 women. There are also six buses carrying security forces armed with Kalashnikovs and other weapons, she says.

• Timestamp: 

  12:01am

  The official SANA news agency quotes the interior ministry statement as saying that "the latest developments in several Syrian provinces such as the killing of policemen, army soldiers and civilians and terrifying people are all armed mutiny led by Salafi armed groups".

  The ministry said it will not be lenient with such terrorist acts and it will work strictly to enhance security and stability all over Syria and pursue terrorists everywhere to bring them to justice.

  The Ministry called on the citizens to tell about the whereabouts of terrorists and suspects and not allow them to exploit the freedom atmosphere to shed blood and corrupt public and private properties."

• Timestamp: 

  11:45pm

  The Syrian interior ministry says events in the country amounts to "armed insurrection" and calls on citizens to "report terrorists", according to Reuters.

• Timestamp: 

  10:55pm

  Yesterday, activists reported that about 300 anti-government protesters in the southern city of Suweida were attacked by "government thugs". Al Jazeera just spoke to a university student who took part in the protest and this is his account of the events:

  People were holding pictures of the leaders of the Syrian revolution [against French rule], it was Independence Day. They were chanting 'The Syrian people are one'. Then, supporters of the president came by cars, with metal sticks and pictures of the president, and started beating people up - girls, young, old, and they tore apart the pictures of the leaders of the revolution.

  "I wasn't beaten, I escaped, they chased me, and I saw them beating my friend. Five people were injured.

  "They're not genuine supporters of the president. They're thugs used by the regime to threaten and beat up protesters. They're well known as bad people, they have a criminal past. They are recruited and protected by the regime who pay them, give them mobile phones and food."

  This video posted yesterday is said to be from Suweida:

   

• Timestamp: 

  10:08pm

  Nasser Weddady from HAMSA, an non-governmental organisation which supports people campaigning for civil liberties in the Middle East, speaks to Al Jazeera about the security apparatus in Syria. 

  He now lives in the US, but grew up in Syria. He says "you don't know exactly who to be afraid of and the result is for you to be mindful of anything you say, even in front of your own family members because there's a risk of somebody writing a report."

   

• Timestamp: 

  9:18pm

  SHAMSNN has posted this footage of protests in Homs today. The man with the microphone is said to be Asaad al-Kahel, described as a "respected religious man".

• Timestamp: 

  9:03pm

  Protester in Homs who gives his name as Abu Omar tells Al Jazeera that 70,000 people took to the streets this afternoon. 

  "I'm 45 years old. It's the first time in my life I break the barrier of silence, the first time I feel freedom. The regime does not wish us to enjoy freeedom or dignity. For decades we've been ruled by an iron fist, by the force of weapon."

• Timestamp: 

  9:00pm

  Syrian state TV is airing pictures of what they say are injured security forces being treated in a hospital after yesterday's clashes in Homs.

• Timestamp: 

  8:35pm

  An early picture from the sit-in in Homs, posted online by Shantal7afana

  

• Timestamp: 

  7:54pm

  Rami, a protester in the square, just told Al Jazeera that a a sheikh has told the demonstrators that Maher al-Assad, the president's brother, said he would send the security forces to disperse protesters. 

  Rami says he can see a number of armed "hooligans" who are gathered around the demo. 

  He is saying all the protesters are unarmed civilians -about 50,000 - and they will continue protesting and camping out in the suqare until the regime is overthrown.

• Timestamp: 

  7:03pm

  Protests seem to be spreading. Thousands rallying in Homs and our reporter Cal Perry in Damascus said he was just hearing news of a peaceful protest 10km west of the capital. There are also reports of a large demonstration by Kurds in Ain al-Arab in the north. 

• Timestamp: 

  6:49pm

  Thousands of people are staging a sit-in in the main square of Homs.

• Timestamp: 

  6:45pm

  Footage of protesters in Homs today:

• Timestamp: 

  6:33pm

  Walid al-Muallem, the Syrian foreign minister, today met foreign ambassadors in Syria and told them that reforms are on their way and peaceful protest will be tolerated but not destruction of government properties and other disruptive behaviour.

  He described yesterday's protest in the town of Talbiseh as "very dangerous" .

  "Those who want reforms should not use weapons or violence or carry out acts of sabotage by torching state institutions and cutting off roads.

  "The international highway was cut off for several hours. Armed men attacked the police, who were given strict orders not to retaliate, and the army had to intervene."

• Timestamp: 

  6:17pm

  Suhair Atassi, a well-known activist in Damascus, says 750 people are demonstrating in the Barzeh district of Damascus. 

• Timestamp: 

  6:05pm

  Our correspondent Cal Perry says the government seems to slowly be losing control of many cities and towns outside Damascus. This footage, filmed in the Damascus suburb of Douma yesterday, seems to back up this point: protesters destroy all symbols of the government, tearing down pictures of President Bashar al-Assad and his father.

• Timestamp: 

  5:31pm

  An eyewitness tells us about the events in Homs, saying the first killing of protesters took place after evening prayers on Sunday when a group of around 40 protesters gathered outside the Bab al-Sibaa mosque chanting "freedom".

  Seven cars pulled up to the protesters and men in civilian clothes jumped out and opened fire on the crowd without warning.

  “First we were calling for reforms, now we’re calling for regime change. No one will accept the death of the martyrs.”

• Timestamp: 

  5:21pm

  According to media reports based on US documents released by WikiLeaks, the US government has secretly funded Syrian opposition groups, including a London-based TV station. The state department has allegedly channelled up to $6m since 2006 to a group of Syrian exiles to operate Barada TV, and to finance activities inside Syria. 

• Timestamp: 

  5:01pm

  Al Jazeera's Cal Perry, in Damascus, reports that medical sources say some of the bodies of victims killed in Homs yesterday have been mutilated.

  He says the situation is getting worse "by the hour" as the government continues to blame "armed criminals" for the unrest, while protesters say it's security forces that are attacking them.

• Timestamp: 

  4:51pm

  We've collected some of the best videos posted online in recent weeks. You can watch them here.

• Timestamp: 

  4:43pm

  Thousands have gathered for three separate mass funerals held for protesters killed in Homs overnight. Activists say security forces killed 25 people in the city. The nearby town Talbiseh, where five people reportedly were killed, has been completely sealed off by security forces.