Syrians in rebel-held northwest show solidarity with anti-regime protesters

Solidarity marches were held in rebel-held northwest Syria on Friday calling for the downfall of President Bashar Al-Assad after anti-regime protests erupted in Daraa and Suweidah.

Protests took place in at least eight places in opposition areas after Friday prayers, including rural Aleppo, Azaz, Idlib, Afrin and Al-Bab.

"This is the people returning once again," Usama al-Bakr, a protester in northern Aleppo, told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. 

"The people have been saying this for 13 years, and they still want to overthrow the regime. The Syrian people are united."

"Today, Atarib, like other cities and towns, came out to call for freedom and the downfall of the regime. We say to Suweidah, we are with you to the death, to Daraa, we are with you to the death, to Aleppo, we are with you to the death," said protester Mahmoud Abu al-Majd.

Recent days have seen hundreds of Syrians take to the streets in the mainly Druze city of Suweidah to protest the worsening economic conditions in Syria and demand Assad step down.

Syrians are suffering the worst financial crisis in living memory due to economic mismanagement, corruption, war, and sanctions.

The protests have taken place for five consecutive days, with residents chanting slogans similar to those of the pro-democracy protests in 2011. Many in Suweidah have also raised the "Syrian opposition flag", along with the Druze banner.

Security sources said the authorities in Damascus have been careful to avoid any escalation in Suweidah fearing that the unrest could spill out to the country's coastal areas that are the main support base for the regime.

With the military backing of Russia and Iran, the Assad regime has clawed back large swaths of territory once held by rebel groups, however is now faced with a massive rise in inflation and worsening living standards.