JEDDAH: Dozens of protesters, angered by the worsening economic situation in Syria, stormed and vandalized the governor's office in the southern city of Sweida on Sunday, before clashing with police, according to officials and witnesses.

He claimed that earlier, amid rising prices and hardship on the economy, more than 200 people had gathered around the building in a Druze-dominated area of the city, chanting slogans and demanding the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Were.

The crowd chanted, "Assad must go." In state-controlled areas of Syria, protests against the government are rare and not tolerated. Tens of "criminals" allegedly stormed the governor's office in Syria, burning documents and files, according to pro-regime media.

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According to the Interior Ministry, they also attempted to take control of the city's police headquarters, and the ensuing clashes resulted in the death of a police officer.

In a statement, the regime promised to "pursue all perpetrators" and "take all legal measures against anyone who dares to undermine the security and stability of the province".

Three witnesses claimed that the governor was not present in the building, which was vacated before protesters invaded and raided the office.

Ryan Marouf, a civic activist and editor of Suwayda 24, a local website covering the southern region, claimed that "the governor's office was completely burned from the inside" and that several people were injured during the exchange of gunfire.

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"There was heavy gunfire," Marouf reported, adding that it was unclear where the shooting came from in the densely populated area. One civilian receiving treatment at a city hospital died of gunshot wounds, according to one source, and another is still being treated for his wounds.

Since the beginning of the more than decade-long conflict, which began after pro-democracy protests against the rule of the Assad family were violently suppressed by security forces, Sweda province has been marred by violence seen in other parts of Syria. has survived.

The Druze sect, a small minority group whose religion has Islamic roots, has long opposed involvement in the Syrian conflict. Several prominent Druze religious figures and members of the community have opposed the sanctioning of military service.

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After a devastating conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions, Syria is facing a severe economic crisis with much of the population struggling to buy food and essentials. Witnesses in Sweda claimed that after entering the structure, protesters tore down images of Assad.