Shooting at Protesters in Syria; Syrian Activists Blame Ba'ath Party Members

Local activists and journalists in Syria report that on Wednesday, for the first time during recent anti-government protests in Suwayda, southern Syria, shots were fired at protesters. The people who took to the streets are demanding the resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad due to worsening living conditions. Syrian activists have accused members of the ruling Ba'ath Party of shooting at the protesters. In a video released by the activist group 'Suwayda24' on social media, men can be seen fleeing from the entrance of a building, and more than 20 gunshots can be heard. This building has been identified as a local Ba'ath Party headquarters, and it is reported that protesters were attempting to shut it down. Earlier in September, the demonstrators had temporarily closed this building. According to the 'Suwayda24' group, three people were injured in the shooting and are receiving treatment in hospitals. The civil war in Syria began in 2011 with protests against Assad in the south of the country and quickly escalated into a full-scale war that has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced. Bashar al-Assad has managed to confront his opponents with military assistance from the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia. Source: Reuters. With the renewed protests against Bashar al-Assad, the Iranian Foreign Minister traveled to Syria. Russia vetoed the Security Council's vote on continuing aid to Syria; the U.S. expressed regret. The U.S. stated that those responsible for the chemical attack by the 'Assad regime' in Ghouta must be held accountable. The commander of 'CENTCOM' visited refugee camps in northeastern Syria.