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.
This video, uploaded today, purports to show at least 30 Syrian army tanks moving along the highway from Damascus to Deraa:
- In this photograph taken today, Syrian protesters hold placards which read (at right): 'We will continue peacefully even if you shed our blood with your bullets', and (at left): 'The regime who kills his own people doesn't deserve to stay'.
- US senator John McCain spoke to Al Jazeera's Tony Harris during a visit to Doha, Qatar's capital, about the growing unrest in Syria.
In the interview, McCain said US options in Syria "are limited", but stressed that he advocates the use of the "most severe sanctions possible, of every conceivable kind, including individual sanctions".
He then went on to say: "These people deserve moral support in Syria who are literally dying as we speak".
Watch highlights from the interview below: For those joining us, here is a quick recap of events in Syria:
- UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon is calling for an investigation into the violence in Syria.- The Security Council is due to meet later to discuss a draft resolution condemning the government's actions.
- Troops have been deployed overnight in a suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, witnesses say.
White buses brought in hundreds of soldiers in full combat gear into Douma, a witness told Reuters news agency on Wednesday.
Pro-democracy protesters have tried to march from the suburb into the centre of the capital in the last two weeks but have been dispersed by security forces.
Read the full story here. - Scores of videos have been posted on the internet of the protests in Syria, including one allegedly showing armed men loyal to the Syrian government roaming the streets of Homs on Tuesday.
There were also reports of power and water cuts, as well as a breakdown in telecommunications in other cities such as Deraa. For more on this, watch our report below: At least 35 people have been reportedly killed after Syria bolstered its troops on Tuesday in the flashpoint town of Deraa just south of the capital, Damascus.
Syrian human rights organisation Sawasiah said security forces have killed nearly three dozen civilians since they entered Deraa at dawn on Monday.
Rights activist Abdullah Abazid said he had a list of names of six people, including the imam of a mosque, who were shot dead by security forces in Deraa.
France and Italy have called for an end to the violence in Syria, urging tough penalties for state security forces' actions against citizens. Meanwhile Britain has called for international sanctions if Assad does not start implementing reforms.
Syria's ambassador to the UN Bashar Ja'afari said violence by the demonstrators and "some armed groups" taking advantage of the situation had forced authorities to respond with force.
They [some armed groups] get within the demonstrations and started shooting on the military men and the security forces. This is why there were many casualties.
Ja'afari said Syria can "undertake any investigation by our own selves, with full transparency".
We have nothing to hide. We regret what's going on, but you should also acknowledge the fact that this unrest and riots in some of their aspects have hidden agendas.
If you demonstrate peacefully, you are protected by the government. If you recur to violence then any government in the world, in order to maintain peace and order, would utilise its forces to stop violence and vandalism and aggression against buildings as well as against innocent civilians.
Protesters in Baniyas on Tuesday chanting "the people want the overthrow of the regime" [Reuters]The US has stepped up criticism of the Syrian government in recent days, and US citizens are being urged to leave the country.
US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice on Tuesday condemned the violence in Syria, calling it "abhorrent and deplorable".
The outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end and now. The Syrian government's actions to repeal the decades' old emergency law and allow for peaceful demonstrations were clearly not serious, given the continued violent repression against protesters.
Rice said the US is considering additional targetted sanctions to make clear that state violence is unacceptable. She also accused Iran of being involved in Syria's crackdown.
Instead of listening to their own people, President Assad is disingenuously blaming outsiders while at the same time seeking Iranian assistance in repressing Syria's citizens through the same brutal tactics that had been used by the Iranian regime.
One of the placards seen in protests in Baniyas that reads: "Sacrifice our lives, the martyrs of freedom" [Reuters]UN chief Ban Ki-moon has condemned the Syrian government's violent crackdown on protesters, and called for an independent probe into the deaths. Speaking to reporters in New York, Ban said the UN was "watching events very closely, and with increasingly grave concern".
Below are excerpts from his remarks on Tuesday:
I condemn, utterly, the continuing violence against peaceful demonstrators, most particularly the use of tanks and live fire that have killed and injured hundreds of people.
It goes without saying that Syrian authorities have an obligation to protect civilians and respect international human rights. That includes the right to free expression and peaceful assembly.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights and I agree: there should be an independent, transparent and effective investigation.
I remain convinced that only an inclusive dialogue and genuine reform can address the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people and restore peace and social order.
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