Whether the protests will spread throughout the entire country is still up for debate. For now though, Assad has his hands full. Al Jazeera:
Syria has deployed security forces to the northern city of Latakia after violent protests left there at least 12 people dead and more than 150 injured amid calls for reform.
Troops patrolled the streets of Latakia - a religiously diverse port city 350km northwest of the capital, Damascus - in force on Sunday, in response to a wave of unrest that has put president Bashar al-Assad under unprecedented pressure.
Syrian authorities have accused "armed groups" of seeking to incite sectarian strife in the city, which has seen violent clashes between pro-reform protesters, security forces and government supporters.
Dozens of pro-reform protesters have been killed in similar clashes in towns and cities across the country, including the city of Daraa and nearby Sanamin.
