Residents in southern Syria raid ruling party offices, block road as protests over economy intensify

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Angry protesters have raided the local offices of the ruling Baath party in a southern Syrian province. The raid comes as protests intensify against the government during a severe economic and financial crisis that has battered the war-torn country. Opposition activists said Wednesday that protesters also partially blocked a highway that links the Druze-majority Sweida province to the capital Damascus in anti-government rallies that broke out Tuesday night. The demonstrations have been sparked by worsening living conditions and inflation that surged after President Bashar Assad’s decision last week to double public sector wages and pensions. Protests have not yet spread to the capital Damascus and the largest cities, including Aleppo and Homs.