DAMASCUS, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Furious crowds continued to protest in Syria's southern province of Sweida on Wednesday against the deteriorating living conditions, according to opposition activists and video footage of the protest site.
The protests, which started on Thursday last week against the backdrop of the government's decision to increase fuel prices, have now seen up to 1,000 people taking part.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, protestors chanted anti-government slogans to express their growing desperation as no tangible steps were adopted to curb the skyrocketing prices and inflation amid the economic deterioration.
Last week, the Syrian Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection raised the prices of diesel fuel by about 180 percent and normal-octane gasoline by around 165 percent.
The move sparked anger among citizens and caused disruption to the transportation system, setting off a ripple effect on food prices.
In tandem with the hike in fuel prices, President Bashar al-Assad implemented a 100-percent salary increase for state employees, retirees, and military personnel.
However, this wage boost seems to be swiftly eroded by the rise in fuel costs and fails to cover the glaring gap between people's meager salaries and the high cost of living.
A significant portion of the country's population has come to rely on financial support from relatives residing abroad to secure their basic needs amid the current harsh economic conditions.
The Syrian government attributes the economic turmoil to a combination of economic sanctions by the United States and activities of foreign-backed terrorist groups. ■
