Aleppo, the once-bustling city in Syria, witnessed its first anti-Assad regime protest since falling to his militias in late 2016. According to local sources, two days ago, residents of Salah al-Din neighborhood in Aleppo gathered to demonstrate against the deteriorating living conditions and the continuous devaluation of the Syrian pound against the US dollar.
However, the security forces swiftly suppressed the protest, arresting several participants, and concealed the incident from the media to prevent similar demonstrations from spreading. The exact number of detainees remains uncertain, causing concern among activists about their fate, given the symbolic significance of Aleppo and its potential for unrest at any moment.
An air force intelligence officer in the city admitted that security forces are on high alert, anticipating possible uprisings in a city that experienced years of resistance against the Assad regime. These protests follow recent demonstrations in Damascus, particularly in Rank al-Din and al-Qutayfah in the western Qalamoun region.
Despite the escalating crises hitting the streets, no concrete solutions have been presented. The officer asserted that addressing these successive crises might not serve the country’s interests but certainly benefits those in power, profiting from the economy, barriers, drug trade, and other illicit sources of income established by militias. For instance, the daily income of the head of the military security branch is estimated to be nearly 100 million Syrian pounds, obtained through the immigration and passport branch under their control, where people pay exorbitant amounts to flee the country.
The eastern part of Aleppo was liberated by revolutionaries in mid-2012, and they maintained a presence until the end of 2016, forming a significant stronghold in northern Syria.
