The unusual protests are still confined to southern Syria and are far from government strongholds along the Mediterranean coast, the capital Damascus and the biggest cities including Aleppo and Homs.
A week ago, President Bashar Assad issued two decrees that doubled public sector salaries and pensions, sparking inflation and worsening economic problems for others.
The US dollar has strengthened from 7,000 Syrian pounds in early 2023 to 15,000 now. At the beginning of the civil war, in 2011, the dollar was quoted at 47 pounds.
The protests were concentrated in the southern city of Sweida, home to the country’s minority Druze, and in the nearby province of Daraa, often considered the birthplace of Syria’s uprising 13 years ago. Sporadic protests in Sweida against the government and corruption have escalated and turned violent, while Daraa, back under government control since 2018, experiences high crime rates and clashes between militias.
There was no government comment on Monday on the second day of protests in Sweida and Daraa.
Assad’s decision to raise wages and pensions comes as the cash-strapped government continues to restructure a costly subsidy program for fuel, gasoline and wheat. Shortly after the decision, public transport and fuel fares increased. The economy continues to struggle from years of conflict, corruption and mismanagement, and Western sanctions on the government over allegations of war crimes and involvement in drug trafficking.
