Anti-regime protests continue in Syria’s Suwayda

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Large crowds of restless Syrians on Monday took to the streets of the regime-held southern city of Suwayda for the 16th day protesting poor living conditions and calling to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. 

Protesters swarmed the streets of Suwayda’s al-Karama square on Monday, chanting antigovernment slogans while waving the flag of the Druze community, local media Suwayda 24 reported. 

The Druze are an ethnoreligious group which make up the majority of Suwayda’s population. 

Chanting “your men, oh Suwayda, are all lions,” and “long live Syria, down with Bashar al-Assad,” the protests demanded the end of Assad’s reign, the release of imprisoned civilians, improvement of living conditions, as well as implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2254 - adopted in 2015 - calling for ceasefire and political settlement in Syria. 

The demonstrations, which began on August 20, were triggered by a surge in prices after the Syrian government decided to lift fuel subsidies. 

On Sunday, the locals of al-Qurayya town south of Suwayda shut down the branch of the ruling Syrian al-Baath party in support of the ongoing protests, according to local media.

Syrians rose up against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, leading to a full-scale civil war that has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrian people and has left millions more in need of humanitarian assistance.

Largely assisted by Russian air attacks and Iranian support, Assad restored control over most of the country after 12 years of war killed half a million people and displaced almost half of the Syrian population.

February's disastrous earthquake, which rocked both Syria and Turkey killing tens of thousands, was a catalyst for Saudi-led efforts to normalize relations with Assad, culminating in Arab states readmitting Syria into the Arab League after a 12 year hiatus.