Middle East protests: Country by country

Shootings in Deraa sparked further violent unrest

Syria

The wave of popular unrest sweeping the Arab world came late to the state run by President Bashar al-Assad, one of the region's most authoritarian rulers.

Rights activists say about 200 Syrians have died since the protests broke out in mid-March at the city of Deraa, before spreading.

After four weeks, demonstrations spread to the cities of Homs and Baniyas, and the government branded them "an armed insurrection".

Protesters have been demanding greater political freedom, an end to corruption, action on poverty and the end of an emergency law imposed since 1963.

There have been promises of reform in response to the unrest, but Mr Assad has been making similar pledges to little effect since 2000, when he inherited power from his father Hafez.

Events in Syria, one of Israel's most bitter enemies and a strong ally of Lebanon's Hezbollah militants, could impact on the wider Middle East.