Crowds return to Tahrir Square as protests spread
• Bahrain: mourners prepare to march to Pearl roundabout
• Libya: 10 killed last night in Benghazi – reports
• Egypt: protesters return to Tahrir Square
• Protesting in Middle East? Send us a voice recording
10.24am – Yemen: Al-Jazeera is reporting clashes between pro- and anti-government demonstrators in Sana'a. There have been calls on social networking sites for a "Friday of rage" in the country.
10.22am: Reuters is reporting that Amr Moussa, the head of the Arab League, said the group had not received any formal request to reschedule an Arab summit planned for Iraq in March, after Libya said it would be postponed due regional circumstances.
Asked if it had been delayed, Moussa told Reuters: "I haven't received any formal request," adding that the meeting planned for 29 March was still proceeding as scheduled.
10.16am – Bahrain: With the US navy's fifth fleet headquartered in Bahrain, there is much at stake for the Obama administration. The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, yesterday telephoned her Bahraini counterpart to express her "deep concern" after riot police stormed a protest camp. Here's what the White House spokesman said yesterday:
We believe that people have universal rights, including the right to peaceful assembly. So we continue to urge the government of Bahrain to show restraint in responding to peaceful protests. The government of Bahrain has the responsibility to maintain peace and security for its citizens and to hold accountable those who utilise excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators.
10.13am – Egypt: Al-Jazeera English is showing a huge crowd gathered in Tahrir Square – the numbers look similar to those we saw last Friday, when Mubarak finally made his exit. People are waving banners and chanting, and Al-Jazeera reports that the army has been handing out celebratory flags to protesters.
Gsquare86, a blogger who attended many of the protests which finally ousted Mubarak, is back in the square to celebrate the day of vVictory and tweeting energetically:
It is so awesome to reunite with my new friends from Tahrir, we spent 18 days that changed our lives together, and now reunited :)
There are reports that there are now 200 pro-Mubarak protesters gathered in Mohandiseen in Cairo – but their demonstration is also peaceful. Elsewhere there are also thousands of people celebrating on the streets in Alexandria.
10.02am: Useful links from commenter orlandobeetle:
• Map of pro-democracy protests in Libya (via Twitter user arasmus).
• Videos reportedly of unrest in Tunisia yesterday.
9.59am: We are looking for your first-person accounts of protests where you are.
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9.49am – Iraq: Reuters is reporting that Iraqi politicians are making attempts to head off the kind of popular uprising seen elsewhere in the Middle East. They are buying sugar, diverting money from fighter jets to food, giving free power, and cutting their own pay. Reuters reports:
Iraqis have long protested against poor government services. But demonstrations against food, power and water shortages have mounted in recent weeks and some protesters are now voicing direct anger at prime minister Nouri al-Maliki's new government.
Gala Riani, a Middle East analyst with IHS Global Insight, said:
Certainly from the steps they [politicians] are taking it would seem that they are nervous. Iraq has experienced relatively big protests in the past related to the poor state of public services without taking such a big move as increasing electricity subsidies.
Wayne White of the Middle East Institute said:
Maliki's almost panicked response to this new unrest demonstrates the extent to which he feels insecure: a man who is well aware that he obtained his second term as prime minister primarily through guile, stubbornness, and help from Tehran.
But Ranj Alaadin of the Next Century Foundation pointed out some key differences between Iraq and Tunisia or Egypt:
The Tunisian/Egyptian uprisings revolved around a desire for regime change and free and fair elections. Iraq has a democratically elected coalition government that's representative of the Iraqi society, as opposed to having one ruling individual or family and ruling elite. It is very difficult to coordinate and execute an uprising against a government that is so diverse and heterogeneous.
9.36am – Bahrain: An earlier peevish tweet from the New York Times's Nick Kristof:
If #Bahrain King Hamad took the money he spends on PR firms hassling me and spent it on his people, he might be more popular.
9.33am – Egypt: Thousands have gathered in Tahrir Square. CNN reports "waving flags and beating drums" as they celebrate on today's "day of victory".
There is a counter pro-Mubarak rally, Sherine Tadros, al-Jazeera English's correspondent, tweets. There are around 100 pro-Mubarak supporters gathered, Tadros reports, carrying banners reading: "Forgive us, father, for the actions of our brothers."
Tadros says most of the crowd in Tahrir Square for the day of victory celebrations "don't really know why they [the pro-Mubarak brigade] are here".
9.30am – Bahrain: Reuters has a report from the funeral procession with good detail. Here's an extract:
Inside a mosque, men washed the body of 22-year-old student Mahmoud Abu Taki, whose shoulder was peppered with buckshot. "He told me before he went there: 'Don't worry, father, I want freedom,'" said his father, Mekki Abu Taki, 53.
"This is a failed government," said Abu Taki, a real estate company manager. "Of course the protests will continue. The government here is like people of the jungle."
The bodies of his son and of Ali Mansour Khudeir, 58, were then draped in red and white Bahraini flags and placed on top of two vehicles which drove slowly through the streets.
"Trial, trial for the criminal gang," the crowd shouted. "Justice, freedom and constitutional monarchy." A brief attempt to start a chant of "Death to al-Khalifa" fizzled.
There was no visible police presence in Sitra, although a helicopter circled overhead.
9.27am – Libya: Muammar Gaddafi's family appears to be taking a prominent role in suppressing the revolt. The news agency Reuters has been told that Saadi, a son of the president, is heading to the eastern city of Benghazi, the flashpoint in the latest round of demonstrations (see 8.39am). Reuters reported:
The resident also said Saadi Gaddafi, a businessman son of the Libyan leader, had been on local radio and said he was coming to Benghazi to take over as mayor of the city and protect the people there. Funerals of those killed were expected in Benghazi and Al Bayda on Friday, and could act as a catalyst for further protests.
9.21am – Bahrain: Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times tweets from Bahrain:
Vast throngs here at Darraz mosque in #Bahrain. Crowd chants "Death to al-Khalifa." No police in sight.
Calling for the death of royal figures seems a significant escalation. The king of Bahrain is Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa and the prime minister of 40 years is Shaikh Khalfa bin Salman Al Khalifa, a member of the royal family; four-fifths of the 25-man cabinet are also members of the family.
9.16am – Libya: There are repeated claims that Muammar Gaddafi's regime is relying on "mercenaries" from central African states, such as Chad, as shock troops to break up demonstrations. The latest casualty figure, according to Human Rights Watch, places the number of dead at 24.
Mercenaries operating in #Libya have been confirmed to be #French speaking Africans from CHAD. #feb17 #Tripoli #Benghazi
At least 24 people killed by sec forces - Libya: Security Forces Fire on 'Day of Anger' Demonstrations (HRW) http://bit.ly/f340xD #Feb17
9.11am – Bahrain: Mark Tran has been talking to Martin Chulov, who has been attending a funeral rally in a suburb of Bahrain. He says tens of thousands of people have been peacefully attending the event, but there could a showdown later on when the mourners march to Pearl roundabout.
This is where there protesters were attacked by security forces on Wednesday night, leading to several fatalities. Martin says the demands of the demonstrators have escalated significantly and are now targeting the monarchy itself. However, Martin says there has no evidence whatsoever of any anti-American sentiment. Bahrain is the headquarters of the American navy's fifth fleet.
There's been a large funeral procession through a suburb of Sitra, which swelled to around 30,000 as people moved through the streets. They were carrying the body of one of the people killed in a pre-dawn raid on the tent city yesterday. The rally has now arrived at a cemetery for burial. People are standing around; it's been very peaceful so far. They plan to regroup and march on Pearl roundabout ... If that happens then we are setting the scene for a showdown the security forces.
_
8.54am – Egypt: There is a sense of deja vu watching al-Jazeera this morning as Egyptians gather once again in Cairo's Tahrir Square. The key question is how the army will react to today's protests – and whether they mark the moment when the goals of the demonstrators and those of the army begin to part company.
This morning the Muslim Brotherhood, the formerly banned Islamist group, urged Egyptians to protect the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak from those who wanted to "kidnap it and its accomplishments".
Mohamed Badie, the leader of the group, which this week said it would form a political party, sought to reassure Egyptians about his organisation's influence. He said the Brotherhood would not seek the presidency or a parliamentary majority in free and fair elections promised by the military council ruling the country.
"[The Brotherhood] has no appetite for the presidency, or a majority or temporal positions," he said.
8.39am: Good morning. Governments around the Middle East are bracing themselves for protests and violence today as the unrest in the region continues to spread.
BahrainIn Bahrain this morning many thousands of mourners called for the downfall of the monarchy as they began burying the dead after an assault on protesters at Manama's Pearl roundabout on Wednesday night which left five dead. Today's calls for the king to go were seen as an escalation of demonstrators' demands; the uprising began with calls for a weakening of the Sunni monarchy's hold on top government posts and measures to address discrimination against the Shia majority. Two funerals have taken place, with one more to go this morning – after which protesters plan to march to Pearl roundabout, something that may cause a confrontation with police and security forces.
LibyaIn Libya, soldiers were deployed on to the streets of Benghazi, after thousands took to the streets overnight to protest about security forces killing an estimated 24 demonstrators. The city was quiet this morning, but a witness reported shooting last night and the BBC said 10 people had been killed. Funerals are expected today that could act as a catalyst for further protests. Pro-government supporters were also out on the streets this morning. Crucially, there was little sign of anti-government protest in Tripoli, the capital. Ian Black has more on yesterday's protests here.
EgyptThousands of Egyptians gathered for prayers this morning and a planned victory march through Cairo's Tahrir Square, the site of the protests that led to the fall of the president, Hosni Mubarak, a week ago today. The demonstrations will also act as a warning to the army – which took power after Mubarak stepped down – that protesters want to take a more active role in the country's transition to democracy.
YemenNew protests are also expected today in Sana'a, Yemen's capital. Yesterday saw a sixth day of clashes between pro-democracy protesters and government loyalists in the country. Demonstrators want to get rid of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled for 32 years but is seen by Washington as an ally in its fight against al Qaeda militants based in Yemen.
IraqAbout 1,000 protesters in Basra, the southern Iraqi city, are demonstrating to demand better services from the government, jobs and improved pensions. They warned that today's protest would be peaceful, but others in the future might not be. At least five people have been killed at protests throughout the country this week.
Our correspondents throughout the region and Middle East experts and reporters in London will be keeping you updated throughout the day.
Arab and Middle East protestsMiddle EastEgyptBahrainYemenLibyaIraqAlgeriaPaul OwenMark TranOwen BowcottAdam Gabbattguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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iddle-east-protests-live-updates