Anti-regime protests in As-Suwayda continue to grow

AS-SUWAYDA, Syria — In a remarkable display of unity and determination, the residents of the Salkhad neighborhood in As-Suwayda, Syria, poured into the streets in a massive popular demonstration, the most significant seen since the outset of the 2011 crisis. Their resounding demand: the removal of the current regime and the departure of its head, Bashar al-Assad.

Throughout the rally, impassioned activists from As-Suwayda addressed the crowd, articulating the core demands of the popular movement and underscoring the unwavering resolve of the demonstrators to see these demands met.

Notably, the protestors emphatically rejected any notions of Syria’s division and categorically refuted the regime’s media claims suggesting that the demonstrators were advocating secession.

The demonstrations, which are in their third week, persist unabated, with calls for the overthrow of the Syrian regime and the departure of Bashar al-Assad. The cities, towns, and villages of As-Suwayda have become focal points for political protests in recent days, marked by a surge in civic engagement.

As the protests in As-Suwayda intensify and demonstrators, just last week, announced the closure of the ruling Baath Party headquarters along with several government-affiliated institutions, Assad’s forces have begun to withdraw from checkpoints, signaling an evolving landscape in the region.