Protests, commercial strike in Damascus, its countryside demand release of Ain Minin detainees

A peaceful popular sit-in in the town of Ain Minin, in the Damascus countryside, continued for a second consecutive day, with hundreds of residents taking part to demand the release of detainees arrested in connection with recent events related to the water crisis and a dispute over well-drilling operations in the Ba'rajed area, as tensions in the town remain high.

Local sources, supported by video footage from the site of the sit-in, reported that participants raised slogans reaffirming their commitment to peaceful action. They called for the release of all detainees and for their fate to be disclosed, an end to security measures against residents of the town, and a resolution to the crisis through dialogue and by responding to residents’ demands.

The continued sit-in comes as forms of protest are expanding. A strike launched by residents of Ain Minin is ongoing in several commercial markets in Damascus, with a large number of shops owned by traders from the town in the Harika market closing their doors. The Souf (wool) Market also witnessed a solidarity strike in support of the detainees and their families, according to reports published online.

The protests initially erupted over a dispute concerning ongoing drilling operations in the Ba'rajed area. Residents say the work involves drilling new wells and diverting water to other areas, while government authorities maintain that the operations involve maintenance and the cleaning of wells. The escalating tensions later led to a crackdown in which a number of residents of the town were arrested.

In a notable development, the mayor of Ain Minin and members of the local council announced their collective resignations on Saturday evening in protest against the continued arrests and the security forces’ handling of the demonstrations. They called for the immediate release of all detainees and an end to the measures taken against local residents.

The resigned mayor said that the majority of those detained are university students, workers, and shop owners.

According to local sources, dozens of residents continue to hold protests and peaceful sit-ins, demanding the release of the detainees and stressing that they will continue their actions until their demands are met.

According to information reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 26 people remain in detention after a limited number of detainees were released. Popular and rights groups continue to call for their release and for information about their whereabouts to be made public, amid calls to contain the crisis through dialogue and avoid further escalation.