• At least nine killed and dozens injured
• Explosion during visit by Arab League observers
• Interior ministry blames al-Qaida
• Opposition Free Syrian Army denies responsibility
3.00pm: The Guardian's video desk has produced an edited version of Syrian state TV footage of today's blast.
Scenes of men holding up body parts have been removed. But you can still see the mysterious moment when police riot shields were placed in the back of a damaged bus.
2.56pm: The Italian foreign minister has made some interesting comments on today's explosion in Midan. Giulio Terzi did not say the Syrian state carried out the attack but he nevertheless blamed them for creating the climate in which it occurred.
The Italian wire service, Ansa, quoted Terzi as saying:
The attacks and the bloody conflict on the ground are the result of the regime's failure to understand and follow the development of society and to open up politically.
The US ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, adopted a similar approach to last month's bomb attacks in Damascus.
Meanwhile, a Syrian official told AP that a smaller bomb exploded Friday in the Damascus suburb of Tal, killing a girl. Security experts dismantled another bomb in the same area, he said.
2.49pm: The Arab League has appealed to Hamas for help in ending the Syria crisis, Reuters reports.
Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby was speaking alongside Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal after a meeting in Cairo.
"I gave him a message today to the Syrian authorities that it is necessary to work with integrity, transparency and credibility to halt the violence that is happening in Syria," Elaraby said.
Elaraby said there was still work to be done according to the agreement between the League and Syria to scale back its military presence in cities and free thousands of prisoners detained since the uprising began last March.
"The observers are striving to realise this situation: to realise a halt to the violence; to realise the release of the detained, to realise the withdrawal of the (military) vehicles. Therefore there is work," he said.
He also said the Arab monitors were in Syria now "to undertake a mission that is bigger than that which was asked of them", but without giving further details.
Elaraby said Meshaal had played a role in convincing the Syrian government to sign the Arab League protocol.
"Since the start of the crisis, we in Hamas and myself personally, have made a huge effort to solve the crisis through a political solution, and we have kept up these efforts," Meshaal said.
2.40pm: The Sudanese general heading the Arab League's monitoring mission, says the observers have reached no definitive conclusion about Syria, according to the Turkish daily Zaman.
Speaking before today's attack Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi said: "At this point in time we have not reached a definitive conclusion. We have investigated incidents in five different cities for six days now but we have not come to a definitive conclusion yet."
Dabi's selection as head of the mission was widely criticised because of his role as an official in Darfur at the time of alleged human rights abuses.
Fears about his appointment appeared to be confirmed last week when he said he saw "nothing frightening" in Homs.
Dabi sounded similarly relaxed in his latest press briefing. He said:
There was a public uprising in Syria. I am sure there are domestic reasons for that. In other Arab countries, there were uprisings as well.
1.53pm: Activists claim 19 people have been killed by the security forces so far today, in a tally that makes no mention of the Damascus blast.
The Local Coordination Committees in Syria said seven were killed the suburbs of Damascus and six died in Homs, including three defected soldiers.
It reported heavy shooting in the Damascus suburbs of Dumair, Qoudsia and Nahr Eisha.
1.23pm: While much of today's media coverage has focused on the explosion in Damascus, large protests have taken place in a number of Syrian towns and cities.
In the central city of Homs thousands of people chanted the anthem of the Arab Spring: "the people demand the fall of the regime".
Similar numbers took part in a rowdy demonstration in in Haraak in the southern province of Deraa and in the north west city of Idlib.
In the oasis town of Palmyra an activist waved a banner depicting president Assad drinking the blood of Syria.
1.18pm: Opposition activists continue to question the Syrian government's version of the explosion in Midan.
Another video posted on YouTube purports to show an "injured" man at the bomb site get up and walk away after being filmed.
The description on YouTube claims the man filmed is urging the person behind the lens to stop shooting because the take is concluded.
1.00pm: Here's a summary of the events in Damascus today:
• A suicide bomb attack in Midan, in central Damascus, is believed to have killed at least nine people and injured 46, Syrian state media reported. It said most of the victims were civilians. The interior ministry blamed al-Qaida for the attack and said it represented an escalation in terrorist attacks that have been afflicting the country since the start of the uprising against the Assad regime. The blast followed two explosions in Damascus on 23 December that reportedly killed 44 people and wounded 166. All of these attacks have taken place while Arab League observers are in the country to monitor alleged human rights abuses by the Syrian security forces.
• The opposition Free Syrian Army denied responsibility for the attack and pointed the finger of blame at the regime. Opposition activists also cast doubt on the official version of events and suggested the government was responsible. The FSA had this week expressed frustration with the Arab League observers and had threatened to to escalate attacks. Its head, Colonel Riad al-Asaad was quoted as condemning the attack in Midan but at the same time warning of future attacks and that the regime "only understands force".
• Angry supporters of Bashar al-Assad took to the streets after the explosion, the Guardian's Ian Black, in Damascus reported. He said: "People are very angry. The scene is pretty grim. There are pools of blood on the pavement. The remains of the suicide bomber are still there and can be seen. It is pretty terrible sight. The authorities have been periodically opening black bin bags with human remains in them. It looks like something from a bucket in a butcher's shop."
12.43pm: The horrific scene of the blast looks like the aftermath of a genuine suicide attack, Ian Black reports from Damascus.
Speaking by phone above the sound of chanting pro-Assad supporters, Ian said: "It appears a suicide bomber blew himself up close to two or three mini buses and one larger one that were carrying police men and other members of the security forces."
It is unclear how many people have been killed, Ian said. "The numbers keep changing," he said. Initial reports said 25 people had been killed, but an official revised the number down to nine, he said.
Asked to comment claims that the regime staged the bombing, Ian said:
There is nothing here that would support that theory. It is impossible to say. It is pretty dreadful scene. There is the remains of a body of a man who appears to have blown himself up. There's a bit of his head left, and feet, and not much else. That would be consistent with a suicide bombing. I don't know how that could be faked. He looks like the aftermath of a suicide bombing that's all I can say from here.There are said to be civilian casualties, I can't confirm that. I can only describe what I see here. Any claims about government [involvement] is not something I can make any judgement on. This particular environment is a very very sensitive one.
Ian said pro-regime protests at the scene resembled pro-Gaddafi rallies in Tripoli last year. He said:
Ever since I got here about an hour and half ago, there have been very large crowds chanting slogans in support of president Assad. You can probably hear them in the background.
People are very angry. The scene is pretty grim. There are pools of blood on the pavement. The remains of the suicide bomber are still there and can be seen. It is pretty terrible sight. The authorities have been periodically opening black bin bags with human remains in them. It looks like something from a bucket in a butcher's shop.
12.32pm: The Syrian state is blaming al-Qaida for today's attack, as well as the previous one on 23 December. From the state news agency, Sana:
The interior ministry said in a statement that the modus operandi of the attacks and the selection of targeted areas (both of which are crowded in order to kill the biggest number of civilians possible) have the fingerprints of al-Qaeda all over them.
The report links the explosions directly to the uprising against Assad, saying they "an escalation in the terrorist attacks afflicting Syria at the hands of armed terrorist groups for more than nine months". The Assad regime has consistently blamed the violence in the country since the start of protests on armed terrorist groups.
12.27pm: Another video highlighted by activist Shakeeb al-Jabri (see previous video at 12.10pm) - a steadfast opponent of the Assad regime who is challenging its version of events - taken from TV coverage, shows a police riot shield being thrown during the window while the scene is being filmed. He says it claims to show "[a] state reporter 'preparing' the blast scene in Midan".
12.15pm: Doubts over the Syrian government's reports about today's explosion were well rehearsed in the aftermath of a remarkably similar incident two weeks.
At the time, Syria watcher Joshua Landis scoffed at the conspiracy theories of opposition activists.
He wrote:
I was asked by journalists today what I thought about the notion that the Syrian government planned the car bombs to provide a pretext for their increasingly violent crackdown on the opposition. It reminds me of the notion that Washington was behind the World Trade Center bombing to provide a pretext for invading Iraq. I don't give either much credibility. Both fit a rather perverse "qui bono," or "who benefits" text, but I shouldn't think that either are likely. I am only surprised that we haven't seen the use of suicide bombing sooner.
The context of the bombings are the growing frustration of the opposition.
Many took issue with Landis over the post, including blogger 7ee6an, who said: "The Syrian thuggish regime is a conspiratorial regime by its nature. Anyone who watches the official media and its dirty sisters will recognize the cheap and stupid conspiratorial nature of this regime. "
The blogger also ridiculed Syrian government attempts to blame the Muslim Brotherhood (among others) for the 23 December attack.
A pathetic attempt to pin the explosion of the Muslim Brothers of Syria, and by extension on the entire Syria National Council was made, exposed, and is now in tatter along, perhaps, with the sanity of a young man who worked for the regime's propaganda.
12.10pm: Conspiracy theories abound about the blast in Damascus.
Activist Shakeeb al-Jabri has posted a link to a clip from TV coverage of the blasts, which he says claims to show "state reporters placing objects before filming [the] blast scene".
Plastic bags are placed beside a patch of blood on the ground by someone holding a microphone.
It doesn't amount to much in terms of proof but it at least begs the question as to what someone who apparently is a journalist was doing moving stuff around at a crime scene.
11.48am: Syrian blogger Maysaloon writes that when examining culpability for today's reported suicide attack in Damascus, "we cannot rule out rogue elements in the opposition" but adds that there are several questions that need answering:
The fact that only hours beforehand, Colonel Riad al Asaad had warned of further attacks against the regime, has only stoked the fires of propaganda against the Free Syrian Army.
Yet the fact remains, why would a suicide bomber carry out such attacks with such timing and limited success, when there are enormous pro-regime demonstrations that are held in the Ummayad square or in Aleppo?
In fact, why is it only the anti-regime demonstrations that get shot at if the regime's story of armed groups is true? Wouldn't an armed group attack pro-regime demonstrations?
Shouldn't common sense tell us that a more sensational target would be the pro-regime demonstrators? Or perhaps carrying out the bombings on a day that would not distract from the anti-regime protests that happen each Friday? Finally, al-Qaida or any of these terrorist groups usually relish the opportunity to declare their responsibility, so why has nobody stepped forward yet?
11.36am: The renegade Free Syrian Army (FSA) has denied responsiblity for the explosion in Damsacus.
The FSA had this week expressed frustration with the Arab League observers and had been threatening this week to escalate attacks. Its head, Colonel Riad al-Asaad, had warned that if the observers did not make progress, the FSA would "take a decision which will surprise the regime and the whole world".
Asaad has blamed the regime for today's attack in Midan but at the same time warned of future attacks and that the regime "only understands force", according to journalist Jenan Moussa.
Assuming he is quoted correctly, he might regret not choosing his words more carefully.
11.11am: At least 25 people were killed in the Damascus attack, according to al-Arabiya.
Activists remain sceptical:
One of the "Midan residents" who gave a street interview to #Syria TV is also a resident of many other neighborhoods.
— Shakeeb Al-Jabri (@LeShaque) January 6, 2012
11.08am: Syrian state TV has broadcast disturbing footage of the aftermath of the reported explosion in Damascus.
Warning the clip contains image of body parts being held up.
10.49am: Syrian blogger Ammar Abdulhamid illustrates dissatisfaction with the leadership of the opposition Syrian National Council in his latest blogpost.
He calls for the unseating of the leader Burhan Ghalioun after his mixed messages on the subject of international intervention in Syria.
Abdulhamid writes:
If we are to be saddled with the SNC for the foreseeable future, there is increasingly little justification to be saddled with Ghalioun as well. Ghalioun must go!
Abdulhamid, a long time critic of the SNC, also seizes on video of activists criticising the group and the internal opposition the National Coordination Body.
He translates the activist telling Arab League monitors:
The SNC does not represent us, the NCB does not represent us. We want international protection. We demand our freedom. We want to topple the regime. We don't want to dialogue. If the Arab League cannot protect us, then we demand the internationalization of the Syrian File by referring it to the UNSC.
10.31am: Syria's state news agency said "tens" of people, mainly civilians, were killed in the explosion.
A terrorist explosion on Friday hit al-Midan quarter in Damascus, causing tens of victims among civilians and law-enforcement forces, the majority were civilians.
The explosion took place near Hassan al-Hakeem Basic Education School.
Preliminary information indicated that a suicide bomber exploded himself at a traffic light in al-Midan quarter.
The timing of the attack, and the way it is being reported by the state media, is very reminiscent of the blasts in Damascus two weeks ago.
10.22am: The activist group, the Local Coordination Committees in Syria, has blamed the Syrian government of being behind today's explosion in Damascus, Now Lebanon reports.
Individual activists accused the regime of trying to create a diversion from the demonstrations.
another explosion in #Damascus, the #Syria'n regime is doing its best to shed light on anything but the mass demonstrations
— Alexander Page (@AlexanderPageSY) January 6, 2012
Midan is an area of Damascus that been impossible for the regime to conquer so they created reasons to cut it off. #Syria
— Shakeeb Al-Jabri (@LeShaque) January 6, 2012
10.09am: Syrian state TV is showing horrific pictures of the victims of today's blast in Damascus, Ian Black reports from Damascus.
Syrian TV is showing bloodstained pavements, damaged cars and corpses being removed from the site of blast. Body parts are being collected and waved in front of the cameras. The broadcaster says there are "scores of dead" including civilians. It said the explosion was a suicide attack.
9.58am: Syria's state news agency said civilians and law enforcement officer are among the victims of today's blast in Damascus.
AP said quoted an official saying a police bus in central Damascus was targeted.
State TV also reported a blast in the Damascus central neighborhood of Midan, which killed and wounded a number of people.
Meanwhile, activists have continued to express doubt about the explosions that occurred on 23 December, which reportedly killed 44 people. The Local Coordination Committee in Syria claimed the state news agency has since reported that some alleged victims died in more recent incidents.
It said:
Only in Syria, and from its official state news agency, can Syrians die twice. The first time they are killed in the mentioned explosion; the second time is during "terrorist attacks" in Homs and Damascus, according to the same news agency.
9.38am: An explosion in Damascus shook the windows of Ian Black's hotel.
In another Skype interview from the Syrian capital Ian reports hearing the blast as state radio confirmed that it had taken place.
He said the blast raised fears of repeat of 23 December explosions which the government blamed on al-Qaida.
9.20am: "The Arab League monitors are going to have a busy day," the Guardian's Middle East editor Ian Black reports from Damascus.
Speaking via Skype from the Syrian capital after being granted a visa, Ian said:
The centre of Damascus is very quiet. There are said to be preparations for demonstrations in a suburb not too far from the centre, but it is not clear whether it going to be possible to get there.
The Arab League observer mission are not media friendly, it has to be said. The Syrian government doesn't seem at all keen to allow access to it either. I think the Assad regime sees the Arab League mission as a lesser evil. It is a way of staving off what they fear as further internationalisation of the crisis.
Many see the mission as "fig leaf" to allow the regime to cover up continuing repression, Ian said. But at the same time it has allowed ordinary Syrians to give testimony about the crackdown, he added.
On the question of media access, Ian said:
The Guardian's first visit to Damascus owes something to the fact that the Arab League initiative requires free access for journalists. But so far nothing looks very free at all. There are a lot of restrictions and at this stage I don't know whether I will be allowed to move around freely. I'm told that at any security force road block I will be required to produce authorisation from the ministry of the interior - I certainly don't have that at the moment.
8.35am: Welcome to Middle East Live. The first Friday of the new year looks set to be another important day as protests are planned across Syria while the Arab League's observer mission continues.
Here's a round up of the latest developments:
Syria
In an interview with CNN, he said:
Intelligence vans marked with the Syrian Red Crescent insignia that would drive through the protests as ambulances and start firing at protesters.
Bashar al-Assad is no longer able to control these human monsters. We have reached a phase of genocide, and this can't be tolerated under any circumstances.
• UN human rights experts may train Arab League observers monitoring the crackdown on opposition protests, a UN spokesperson said according to AFP. The announcement came the day after Qatar's prime minister sought help from UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, saying the Arab League mission in Syria had made "some mistakes."
• The BBC filmed Arab League observers in the Damascus suburb of Arbeen, before activists claimed shots were fired at protesters. The BBC clip shows footage of hundreds of ordinary Syrians keen to pass on their own experiences of the protests and crackdown. A clip from activists, which the BBC could not verify, showed protesters being shot at in the same location.
• The Syrian government said it had released more than 500 prisoners who were not involved in "terrorist" acts, the New York Times reports. Meanwhile, the human rights group Avaaz said that it had compiled evidence that thousands of other detainees were languishing in government prisons and secret detention centers where, the group said, torture was routine.
• Burhan Ghalioun, the leader of the Syrian National Council, has explained the opposition nuanced and shifting view on international intervention, to the BBC and the Telegraph.
The BBC quoted him saying:
We're asking them [the international community] to assess every possible option to create and enforce a safe area in Syria and to stop the atrocities being committed in Syrian towns. We are seeking a partial no-fly zone: covering a limited area, just over one piece of territory. We don't want the complete destruction of Syria's air defences. We don't want international intervention to replace the Syrian revolution. We want it to support the Syrian revolution.
The Telegraph quoted him saying:
We believe that a safe zone will encourage battalions and armies of the regime to defect and take the side of the revolution. This would topple the balance of power in the favour of the revolution.
It adds:
A limited operation on the scale proposed by Ghalioun is likely to rule out American involvement because US rules of engagement dictate that a no-fly zone can only be mounted over a territory where potentially hostile air defences have first been neutralised. Mr Ghalioun's call for a no-fly zone represents a major policy reversal. In an attempt to unite with domestic dissident groups, the Syrian National Council, which is dominated by exiles like Mr Ghalioun, agreed last week to drop calls for non-Arab military intervention.
But he changed his mind after protesters on the streets of Syrian cities denounced the compromise.
Iraq
• Bombs targeting Shia Muslims have killed 72 people in Baghdad and southern Iraq in a deadly start to a new year already heightened by fast-increasing sectarian tensions. Most of the dead were Shia pilgrims walking to the holy city of Karbala from Nasiriyah. A suicide bomber was walking among the men and detonated himself as a soldier tried to tackle him. The blast killed 48 and wounded more than 100.
Egypt
• A prosecutor in the trial of Hosni Mubarak has demanded the death penalty for the ousted Egyptian leader on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during last year's uprising against his rule. Mustafa Khater, one of a five-member prosecution team, also asked for the death sentence for Mubarak's security chief and six top police commanders who are being tried in the same case.
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