Southern Syria protests (2023–24)

Daraa had been one of the main starting places of the Syrian revolution in 2011, and was largely under the control of the pro-opposition Free Syrian Army from 2012. Following the 2018 offensive that brought Daraa and Quneitra under control of the Syrian Arab Army, many rebels forces in the area signed Russian-brokered reconciliation deals, in which they laid down their weapons against the Syrian Army. The rebels also handed over their heavy weapons. Most rebels stayed behind, and continued to control various areas in the province, as well as the Al-Balad subdistrict of the city of Daraa. In addition, forced conscription and arrests fueled anger against the Syrian government. The 2021 Daraa offensive saw renewed military fighting between armed locals and the SAA, eventually leading to a truce and fragile government control, but unrest has continued since. As-Suwayda, in contrast, had been relatively peaceful in the civil war period. According to one analyst in 2018: The majority of al-Suwayda residents are Druze, an esoteric religious group that has roughly one million adherents worldwide. Some locals are loyal to Damascus [the seat of government], others are sympathetic to the Syrian revolution, and a third category are neutral or avoid politics, but all are united in their opposition to allowing the war into their province. This unity was particularly tested following the assassination of Druze leader Wahid al-Balous in 2015, killed in a car bomb widely attributed to pro-Assad forces. Balous was an outspoken critic of forced military conscription, advocating for the Druze to only take arms defensively within their local areas rather than for broader regime initiatives. His death sparked significant anti-government demonstrations, amplified by the community's growing refusal to serve in the Syrian army, and made Al-Suwayda a haven for those fleeing military service. An ISIS attack on As-Suwayda in July 2018, which killed over 240 people, deeply impacted the Druze community. This tragedy led to increased local armament and support for militias like the "Men of Dignity," as the community sought greater self-reliance in defense. The event also intensified mistrust towards the Syrian regime and its allies, highlighting their failure to protect the Druze and reinforcing a drive for local control over security matters. Protests began in February 2022 over the removal of subsidies for common items. The protests continued that month, despite assurances frkn the governor, while violent protests took place in December. By 2023, the economy of Syria was in poor shape, exacerbated by hyperinflation, corruption, rising crime rates in government-held areas and international sanctions. The cost of living had become untenable for many households by the summer. The Syrian currency reached an unprecedented low of 15,000 Syrian pounds per US dollar on 15 August, down from 7,000 at the start of the year. The United Nations reported that 90% of the country's population lived in poverty, and that more than half suffered food insecurity. == 10th August movement and Druze general strike ==

There were scattered protests in the coastal region of Syria, traditionally more loyal to the government, through summer of 2023. Leaflets were distributed in Banias, Jableh, Tartous and Latakia (all places with significant Alawite populations), and the movement condemned violence and sectarianism. Many of the leaders of the 10th August movement are Alawite dissidents affiliated with the Syrian opposition. Taxi and bus drivers in Damascus staged two days of partial stoppages on 16–17 August. In Daraa province, some villages participated in the strikes, with demonstrators raising the Syrian revolutionary flag and chanting, "Bashar … Go! We want to live!" On Friday 18 August, there were demonstrations across southern Syria after Friday prayer. In many places, protests took the form of holding up and photographing slips of paper with anti-government slogans in front of iconic locations. == Protests ==

August On 20 August 2023, a large number of protestors in Southern Syria began protesting against the Ba'athist government. Protests erupted first in Karama Square There were reports the next day that night-time youth protests near a military security building in Nawa, during which roads were obstructed using burning tires, were followed by confrontations between local fighters and government forces who later shelled the area. The Syrian Democratic Council expressed its support for the protests on 21 August. Protests continued on 23 August. Protestors had raided Ba'ath party offices across Southern Syria and blocked the highway connecting Suwayda to Damascus. By 25 August, large-scale protests had spread to Idlib, Aleppo, Azaz, Afrin and Al-Bab regions. By the second week of the protests, commentators had begun describing the country-wide protest waves as a second revolutionary movement. Security forces were deployed to initiate a clampdown on protests in Daraa, Aleppo, Latakia, etc. Due to the presence of armed Druze militias, such as the "Men of Dignity" group and Sheikh al-Karama Forces, the Assad government has been more hesitant to launch crackdowns in Suwayda. However, the Assad government's plans for an upcoming military crackdown were reported by opposition activists. Hundreds of protestors in Suwayda continued to chant anti-government slogans, demanding the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. On 28 August, video footage emerged of security forces shooting to suppress protests in Shahba city, Suweida region. The same day, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Karama Square; chanting revolutionary slogans and demanding the prosecution of Bashar al-Assad in an international tribunal. The protestors further labelled the dictator as "the criminal of the barrel bombs, sarin gas, and captagon". Protests demanding the ouster of the Assad government also continued in the Idlib and Daraa regions. By late August, Ba'athist security forces had carried out a wave of arbitrary arrests and detentions across the country, particularly in the coastal regions where the 10th of August movement was amassing supporters. A spokesman of the 10th of August movement stated: "The regime is very good at using violence against people. We are trying to reach a point in Syrian society where we don't give them a chance once we decide to start a revolution". Around 57 protestors were arrested during the crackdown in Daraa. The headquarters of the Ba'ath party in Suweida were occupied and closed down by the protestors. Mass boycotts by residents in the city also led to the shutdown of government institutions. Demonstrations in the main square of Suwayda continued to be engulfed by anti-government slogans, such as: "Step down Bashar, we want to live in dignity". Protestors in Suwayda raised slogans advocating solidarity with opposition-held regions in Idlib and other parts of North-Western Syria. Kurdish party PYD also supported the protests, advocating the establishment of federalization process in minority provinces. Demonstrators in Daraa raised slogans of "bread, freedom and dignity." On 30 August 2023, reports regarding the Assad government's preparation for a large-scale crackdown to quell the uprisings in Southern Syria began to emerge. On 31 August, clashes broke out in the Damascene country-side between local people and militants of Maher al-Assad's 4th Armoured Division in the town of Zakiyah. This was after a civilian, who discovered that some of the division's commanders bombed a store used for keeping water well machinery, was shot dead by pro-Assad militants. This sparked fierce confrontations between locals and the 4th Armoured Division, killing three militants of the division and two residents. Anti-Assad activities had been rising in Zakiyah since the eruption of protests across Syria, and Assad regime had deployed military troops across Rif Dimashq in August. Several houses of the 4th Armoured Division soldiers were burned down by angered locals. September Protests continued on 1 September 2023 across Suwayda and Daraa regions. Small-scale demonstrations also occurred in Tartus and other government-held regions. Thousands of protestors in Suwayda chanted anti-government slogans demanding the resignation of Bashar al-Assad, resulting in the largest anti-regime rallies since the Arab Spring in 2011. Demonstrators in Daraa waved the Syrian revolutionary flags. On 22 December protests took place in Al-Karama Square of As-Suwayda. January 2024 On 18 January, Jordanian airstrikes targeted civilian areas in the villages of Arman and Malh under the guise of disrupting drug trafficking. The attacks resulted in ten civilian deaths and sparked significant local unrest, particularly due to rumours that the Syrian government provided the coordinates for these airstrikes. February 2024 On 28 February 2024, one protester was killed by government forces, the first death in 6 months of anti-government protests. Meanwhile, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri called for calm and encouraged the continuation of peaceful demonstrations. This marks a significant event in areas under regime control, as it is the first known instance where a legal complaint against the security services for killing a civilian has been officially accepted. On March 8, demonstrators showcased banners acknowledging the vital contributions of women to the revolution, highlighting their significant involvement from the start of the Suwayda demonstrations. April 2024 On 17 April, "Independence Day" saw a pivotal protest in As-Suwayda, Syria. Demonstrators barred regime and Baath Party officials from accessing national monuments of "The Great Syrian Revolution" all over As-Suwayda, and blocked the display of regime symbols and Bashar al-Assad's images. This act of defiance marked a significant shift, the first of its kind since the protests began in 2011. On 25 April, in response to the detention of university student Hani Obaid in Latakia for supporting the Suwayda protests, demonstrators detained several military personnel including a regiment commander, a staff brigadier, a colonel, and the head of the Immigration and Passports Branch. The government dispatched military reinforcements to rescue the detained officers. The reinforcements were surrounded, and the student was released on 28 April. == See also ==