The city of Sweida in southern Syria is experiencing a growing anti-regime protest movement, with more than 2,000 people taking part in demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad. The protests, which began in mid-August, have been triggered by the end of fuel subsidies, which has added to the economic strain on the population.

Sweida, the capital of a province that is home to Syria's minority Druze sect, has largely remained under government control throughout the civil war and has been spared much of the violence seen in other parts of the country. However, the worsening economic situation has led to increasing public discontent directed at al-Assad.

Protesters in Sweida have torn down portraits of both al-Assad and his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, and have called for freedom and an end to the current regime. The demonstrations have attracted participants from all social classes, with women playing a significant role.

The Druze community, which makes up a very small percentage of Syria's population and has largely stayed out of the conflict, has now joined the protests, waving multi-colored Druze flags and expressing their dissatisfaction with the cost of living. Similar discontent has also been observed in other parts of southern Syria, including Deraa province, where the Syrian uprising began.

The country's currency, the pound, has sharply depreciated against the US dollar since 2011, and Western sanctions have further exacerbated economic woes. As a result, a large portion of the population has fallen into poverty.

Spiraling economic hardships, along with ongoing violence and the devastation caused by the war, have contributed to the death of over half a million people and have pushed the country into a protracted conflict involving various armed groups and regional powers.