Anti-government protesters scattered on Wednesday after their demonstration near a government building in the south-western city of Suweida was hit by a fusillade of bullets, wounding at least three people, activists said.
Suweida has been rocked by weeks of rallies against the Syrian government, first organised as protests against worsening living conditions, but then branching out to include calls for President Bashar Al Assad to step down.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said residents tried to storm the ruling Baath party's provincial headquarters in the city in an attempt to close it for a second time – having already done so last month – while chanting slogans calling for freedom.
Security personnel guarding the building fired at the protesters to disperse them, which was followed by reports of injuries, the UK-based watchdog said.
Last month, demonstrators shut down the Baath party's provincial headquarters in Suweida for the first time.
The protest movement in Suweida province, which lies on the border with Jordan, started after the authorities announced a sharp increase in fuel prices last month.
Current unrest in Syria – and renewed dissent elsewhere – signal obstacles in Mr Al Assad's path to consolidate his power, especially following his readmission to the Arab League in May.
The civil war in Syria broke out after authorities used force to suppress the 2011 uprising against Mr Al Assad's rule. The president, who belongs to the Alawite sect, inherited power form his father, Hafez Al Assad, in 2000.
A sharp economic crisis in the past three years appears to be chipping away at the religious and ethnic alliance that had played a crucial role in helping Mr Al Assad maintain his seat of power in Damascus, observers say. The alliance comprises Alawite, Druze, Christians and other minorities, as well as affluent members of the Sunni majority.
The economic crisis in regime-controlled territories has deepened as the economy of neighbouring Lebanon has continued its meltdown. Since the two countries became independent of France in the 1940s, Lebanon has been the deposit house for Syria.
TOUR RESULTS AND FIXTURES
June 3: NZ Provincial Barbarians 7 Lions 13
June 7: Blues 22 Lions 16
June 10: Crusaders 3 Lions 12
June 13: Highlanders 23 Lions 22
June 17: Maori All Blacks 10 Lions 32
June 20: Chiefs 6 Lions 34
June 24: New Zealand 30 Lions 15 (First Test)
June 27: Hurricanes 31 Lions 31
July 1: New Zealand 21 Lions 24 (Second Test)
July 8: New Zealand v Lions (Third Test) - kick-off 11.30am (UAE)
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
