Protest in Hama countryside over lack of security, rising crime

Residents of the town of Taladra, in the western Salamiyah countryside east of Hama, held a protest in which they voiced their outrage over the deteriorating security situation and the spread of uncontrolled weapons. The protest came in response to the rise in theft crimes and the killing of a local resident two days earlier, after he was shot by armed men.

The demonstration was held in rejection of the recent crime and the repeated incidents of burglary targeting homes and farms in the town, with protesters demanding protection for their lives and property.

The demonstrators directed sharp criticism at the relevant authorities, asserting that “maintaining security is more important than raising electricity prices, more important than laying off employees, and more important than everything else that is happening.”

Participants also expressed their daily fears due to the spread of crime, stating: “We see armed individuals walking in the middle of the city streets without knowing whether they belong to security forces or are ordinary people. Security and safety are among the most basic human rights, and they are absent.”

The protest reflects the growing anxiety among residents as a result of the lack of stability and underscores their urgent demands for security and safety.

ANHA