What is behind Syria’s new wave of protests?

Demonstration events in Syria continued to increase during 2026 according to ACLED data, reflecting the dismantling of long-standing barriers to civic expression while underscoring what appears to be widespread resentment among civilians.

Muaz Al Abdullah, Middle East Research Manager at ACLED, said:

“During the first half of June, ACLED records 41 demonstrations in Syria demanding transitional justice and accountability in opposition to the reinstatement of members and affiliates from the former Assad regime (see map below). These actions made up 40% of all protests across the country during that timeframe."

“The protests concentrated in Aleppo, Idlib, Deir ez‑Zor, Hama, Homs, and Rural Damascus — areas with long histories of repression and displacement that used to be strongholds of the rebels. These are now key sites of resistance to “recycling” the former regime‑linked figures.

“A combination of political discontent and economic hardship has driven the recent spike in protests. On 15 June, the Syrian Ministry of Interior announced that 3,548 former Assad regime members holding military ranks had been detained since the fall of the regime. However, public frustration is mounting over the slow and vague progress of transitional justice, especially as businessmen and investors close to the ousted Assad regime managed to return to Syria without clear accountability, and the government has made vague reconciliation agreements with regime cronies and some military officials who were involved in war crimes. The frustration is further compounded by severe delays in restoring basic infrastructure to areas devastated during the war, which served as the primary flashpoints for the recent demonstrations in Aleppo. 

“Adding to these tensions, the economic policies enacted in May — specifically the low state-set procurement prices for wheat — have triggered widespread demonstrations across northern and northeastern Syria: ACLED records 160 demonstrations in May, 21 of which involved farmers protesting low crop prices compared to neighboring countries and demands to increase the wheat purchase price. Ultimately, these unresolved structural failures and economic pressures have significantly heightened the instability across Syria.”