Balanced News: Syria protests challenge Assad as he tries to put civil war behind him

Anti-government protests have been growing in Syria, particularly in the southern city of Suwayda, due to the worsening economic crisis. The demonstrations initially focused on the cost of living but have now evolved into demands for the downfall of President Bashar Assad’s government. The government’s response to the protests has been relatively restrained, likely due to Suwayda’s significance as the heartland of the Druze religious minority. The Druze community, generally well-educated and secular, has largely remained neutral during the civil war but is now seeing support for resistance against the government. The Biden administration has maintained its stance of not normalizing relations with the heavily-sanctioned Assad regime.