Protesters storm governor's office in southern Syrian city, two killed in clashes - Reuters

AMMAN, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Dozens of demonstrators aggravated implicit worsening economical conditions successful Syria stormed and ransacked the governor's bureau successful the confederate metropolis of Sweida connected Sunday, clashing with police, the authorities and witnesses said.

Earlier, much than 200 radical had gathered astir the gathering successful the centre of the Druze-majority city, chanting slogans calling for the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, they said, amid spiralling prices and economical hardship.

"Down with Assad," the assemblage chanted. Anti-government protests successful state-controlled areas successful Syria are not tolerated and rare.

Syrian authorities media said tens of "outlaws" stormed the governor's bureau and burned files and authoritative papers.

The Ministry of Interior said they had besides tried to prehend the city's constabulary headquarters, and that 1 policeman was killed successful the ensuing clashes.

"We volition prosecute each the outlaws and instrumentality each ineligible measures against anyone who dares to undermine the information and stableness of the province," the authorities connection said.

Three witnesses told Reuters the politician was not successful the gathering which was vacated earlier protesters stormed and ransacked offices.

"The governor's bureau was burnt wholly from the inside," said Rayan Maarouf, a civic activistic and exertion of Suwayda 24, a section website that covers the confederate region, who said respective radical were wounded successful the speech of gunshots.

"There was dense gunfire," Maarouf told Reuters, saying it was not wide from wherever the shooting came successful the heavy policed area.

A root successful the metropolis infirmary said 1 civilian who was being treated had died from gunshot wounds portion different was inactive successful infirmary aft being shot.

Sweida state has been spared the unit seen successful different parts of Syria since the commencement of the over-decade agelong struggle that began aft pro-democracy protests erupted against Assad's household regularisation were violently crushed by information forces.

The number Druze sect, whose religion draws its roots from Islam, person agelong resisted being drawn into the Syrian struggle that pits chiefly Sunni rebels against Assad's rule.

Many assemblage leaders and apical Druze spiritual leaders person refused to authorisation enlistment successful the army.

Syria is successful the throes of a heavy economical situation wherever a bulk of radical aft a devastating struggle that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions conflict to spend nutrient and basal goods.

Witnesses successful Sweida told Reuters that erstwhile wrong the building, demonstrators brought down pictures of Assad.

Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi Editing by Gareth Jones, Kirsten Donovan and Raissa Kasolowsky

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.