Syrians strike to pressure Assad government - The Washington Post

Syrians strike to pressure Assad government - The Washington Post

clipped from article:
If the economy continues to collapse, Assad could find himself with few allies inside the country, where calls are growing for him to step down. The authoritarian president is also struggling with international isolation and sanctions.

It is difficult to gauge the strength of the strike because the regime has banned most foreign journalists and prevented local reporters from moving freely. But there were signs that it was being widely observed, in particular in centers of anti-government rallies: the southern province of Daraa, the suburbs of the capital, Damascus, the northwestern region of Idlib and the restive city of Homs.

The opposition wants the strike to continue until the regime pulls the army out of cities and releases thousands of detainees.

“Only bakeries, pharmacies and some vegetable shops are open,” said a resident of Homs who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. He said those stores didn’t close because they sell essential goods.

Security was tight, he said, with agents deployed at every intersection in the city. Gunfire erupted sporadically.

“There is a terrifying security deployment in Homs,” he said.

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