Anti-regime protests spread across Syria's Daraa

Anti-regime protests have spread across the province of Daraa in southern Syria, according to reports.

Demonstrations took place on Monday in northern and western areas of the province, calling for the overthrow of the regime and the release of detainees from government prisons, activists told The New Arab’s Arabic-language service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

The activists also called for the expulsion of Iranian militias from the province, who are allied with the regime, activist Abu Al-Baraa al-Hourani said.

The demonstrations were large and took place in the cities of Jasim and Dael and in the towns of Muzayrib and Jalin, and are expected to expand across other areas in the province, al-Hourani added.

Residents in the town of Al-Naimah, east of Daraa, have also shown signs of an uprising in the area after setting fire to car tires on Sunday in protest of the regime forces arresting a woman in the area.

However, the head of the regime’s military security branch, General Louay al-Ali, informed the people of Daraa that the regime will not release any detainees, al-Hourani said.

Daraa province was the first area of Syria to rise up against President Bashar al-Assad's rule in 2011 and became an opposition stronghold until it was recaptured by the regime and Russian forces in 2018.

Though the regime is normally in control of Daraa, former opposition elements have waged a low-level insurgency since 2018. Regime-affiliated fighters and militias also target civilians and former opposition fighters with impunity.

The regime has sought to increase its influence in the southern province in recent months, according to analysts.