Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Protests and Battles

2100 GMT: Developments in Syria tonight....

The Syrian Minister of Interior says protests amount to "armed insurrection" and has called on citizens to "report terrorists".

The statement comes after more than 5,000 anti-regime protesters took over the main square of Homs, Syria's third-largest city, vowing to occupy the site until President Assad steps down. More than 10,000 mourners had marched in funeral processions for some of those killed in clashes on Sunday.

A video of protest this evening:

2050 GMT: AFP claims that more than 100 people have been killed in the last 24 hours in the opposition-held Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi District, part of the Nafusa Mountains (see video at 1535 GMT), west of Tripoli.

2000 GMT: Tunisia's state new agency says three regime security officials have defected, arriving at a Tunisian port in a boat with about 20 other Libyans.

Five Libyan army officers reportedly fled to Tunisia on Friday.

Insurgents say four civilians were killed in Misurata on Monday in the regime's continuing bombardment, and they added thatthe death toll from Sunday's shelling had risen to 25.

1945 GMT: Back from a break to find a declaration by Bahrain's Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmad al-Khalifa that military forces from Gulf Cooperation Council states, including 1500 troops from Saudi Arabia, will stay in the country until its Sunni rulers are satisfied that the danger from Iran have eased: “There is an external threat on the whole Gulf.”

Al-Khalifa enied the Gulf force was “policing” the majority Shiite nation and emphasized the foreign forces’ stated mission was to protect Bahrain’s “vital installations against a foreign threat".

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s state news agency said seven detained opposition supporters would go on trial before a military court for the killing of two policemen, who died after being run over by a car in the capital Manama.

The seven are the first of the hundreds taken in custody to be charged with a crime since Bahrain’s military stormed the protesters’ encampment in Manama’s Pearl Square a month ago.

1535 GMT: Claimed footage of regime forces mobilising to strike insurgent positions in the Nafusa Mountains in west Libya:

1530 GMT: Bahrain's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa said anti-regime protesters will be held to account: "Bahrain has witnessed a coup attempt. No violators would get away with it. All co-conspirators and abettors must be held accountable."

1520 GMT: An update from Al Jazeera English on the fighting between Brega and Ajdabiya....

After regime forces got to the edge of Ajdabiya yesterday, insurgents have pushed back about 40 km (25 miles) on the road to Brega.

There has been no regime shelling, and a sandstorm which prevented coalition air operations on Sunday has cleared. While no airstrikes have been seen, just the threat may have been brought a regime pullback.

And an Al Jazeera English crew also bring the latest from inside the besieged city of Misurata:

1355 GMT: Thousands of Syrians have attended funerals for protesters killed in or near the central city of Homs, chanting slogans demanding the overthrow of President Assad: "From alleyway to alleyway, from house to house, we want to overthrow you, Bashar."

Accounts vary on how many demonstrators were slain on Sunday, but there was a mass funeral for eight of the dead.

Video from the processions:

1320 GMT: Reuters reports that at least 88 people have been wounded by the gunfire and tear gas of security forces in Yemen's Red Sea port of Hudaida.

Residents said plainclothes police armed with bats, pistols and stones attacked thousands of protesters who had marched into the streets outside the square where they have camped for weeks as they called for the end of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule.

Seven protesters were injured by gunfire, and the rest were beaten or affected by inhalation of tear gas.

1310 GMT: Catching up after an extended break....

Activists in Syria say eight people died from gunfire on Sunday as they marched in a protest near Homs.

And in Libya, an opposition spokesman said shelling by regime forces on Misurata intensified on Monday, amid difficulties in providing medical care: "The aid coming from outside is not enough. There is no hospital."

The spokesman said 21 people were killed and more than 100 were injured from shelling Sunday in Misrata.

Monday's assault was mainly upon the port area and an industrial zone that includes small businesses and small factories.

With the city hospital taken over by pro-government forces, makeshift clinics have been set up to treat the wounded. 

0600 GMT: In Egypt, former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, former Finance Minister Yousef Boutros Ghali, and former Interior Minister Habib El Adly have been charged with wasting more than $15 million in public money and profiteering.

0500 GMT: We begin coverage this morning with a video special from Syria, posting 11 clips of protests continuing the challenge to the Assad regime. The developments, which reportedly including the killing of three demonstrators near Homs, were a sharp response to Saturday's speech by the President, casting doubt on Assad's promises that he would hear the demands of the people.

In Libya, the main story of the destruction of Misurata by regime shelling --- doctors said 17 more people were killed ---  was joined on Sunday by a counter-attack by Qaddafi forces, flanking the insurgents who had moved on Brega and reaching all the way to the opposition-held Ajdabiya 100 km (62 miles) away. The regime move was assisted by a sandstorm, which prevented the intervention of NATO's air forces.

Dozens of civilian vehicles, many of them carrying families, fled Ajdabiya throughout the morning, with some rebels appearing to join the withdrawal.  The opposition Transitional National Council issued orders that casualties should not longer go to Ajdabiya Hospital and should instead be sent directly to Benghazi, 160 kilometres (100 miles) to the north. Some of the wounded already at the hospital were also evacuated. 

In the afternoon, more than 30 vehicles brought opposition reinforcements. Some fighters wore new, black body armour, and others were seen carrying more advanced communications equipment, apparently supplied by Britain and Qatar.