Residents of As-Suwayda organized a central demonstration today, Friday, May 17, in al-Karamah Square in the city center. They demanded freedom, the overthrow of the Syrian regime, and accountability for Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Karamah Square witnessed the convergence of locals from various neighboring villages and towns, continuing the peaceful mobilization for the 268th consecutive day. Today, demonstrators completed nine months of ongoing protests against the regime without interruption, according to the Al-Raased network via Facebook.

Al-Raased published a video documenting protesters tearing down al-Assad’s pictures from the façade of the Northern Garage building in As-Suwayda city, just before joining the central demonstration in al-Karamah Square.

The demonstrators commented on Bashar al-Assad’s participation in the Arab summit in Bahrain by performing a song titled “A Departure Without Return“, chanted by activists from the town of Amtan in As-Suwayda’s countryside during their presence in al-Karamah Square. They also demanded the implementation of Resolution 2254 and the overthrow of the regime.

The people of As-Suwayda province began their popular uprising on August 17, 2023, through daily demonstrations demanding the downfall of the Syrian regime, the expulsion of Iran from the country as an “occupier,” and the implementation of UN Resolution 2254, which ensures a peaceful transition of power through democratic elections under UN supervision.

In late February, As-Suwayda witnessed the killing of Jawad al-Barouki, the first protester to be killed in the city’s peaceful movement by Syrian regime forces trying to suppress this peaceful activism.

In recent days, the regime forces sent large military reinforcements towards As-Suwayda province, including troop carriers, armored vehicles, and tanks.

The Suwayda ANS network revealed, on May 9, that it obtained leaks indicating that the regime’s security agencies issued an arrest list comprising 200 individuals in As-Suwayda, including politicians, activists, media persons, and leaders of some factions supporting the popular movement.

The network stated that the regime formed what resembles a crisis management cell in As-Suwayda, focused on ending the political mobilization without direct confrontation.

It added that this committee consists of three individuals who lead a local militia directly commanded by the military security apparatus, in addition to local figures with significant social influence and leaders of three security agencies in the province.