Anti-government protests in the Druze city of Sweida, Southern Syria, evolved into their fifth day on Thursday. A significant trigger to these demonstrations has been a spike in fuel prices, which further aggravated the challenging economic circumstances dominant in the area. Demonstrators are primarily demanding the removal of President Bashar-al-Assad from power. Evidence of such motivation is documented in video documentation of the protests.
These protests were fueled by President Assad’s decision last week to double public sector wages and pensions. However, an intensifying economic crisis sparked by the collapse of Syria’s currency, resulting in hyperinflation, has left almost 90% of the population living below the poverty line. This financial turmoil has been made worse by a rapid surge in fuel prices.
The Syrian state media has ignored the protests thus far, yet supporters of the government attribute the unrest to foreign powers and western sanctions. This narrative accuses these entities of purposefully fostering disorder. Concurrently, such proponents have further warned of the possibility of this unrest culminating in widespread chaos if the protests continue.
Remarkably, the Syrian government’s security forces have abstained from quelling the protests. The driving force behind this approach is uncertain, raising many questions. However, some analysts have speculated that the government is wary of triggering scenes reminiscent of the widespread violence that ignited the larger protest movement, the Arab Spring, back in 2011.
This information was originally reported on Jurist.