Traveller safety in Syria
A friend working in UN agency in Syria sent links
//www.sana.sy/eng/21/index.htm, which is state run, and
//english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/syria/
Her assement of the situation is that you are safe enough, she didn't mention the traffic, which is your main risk. Very "inshallah" driving.
A tip, shops closing early and street hawkers disappearing is always a bad sign. Local people will always give you a "heads-up" if something nasty is likely. Park your bike off the streets to avoid damage in riots, and keep a full tank, because a fuel shortage is likely if there is unrest. Retreat and avoid any sudden gatherings of younger men around public areas, especially near mosques and public buildings, because this is always going to attract the security forces, and they can be very heavy handed.
The country is a bit "pressure-cooker" at the moment, and the Assad regime are not very flexible, so there is a potential for violent confrontations.
That said, it is a country well worth visiting, Damascus is the oldest inhabited capital in the world. You can't put a spade in the ground without finding some historic remains, so the Syrians have a very nonchalent attitude to them, life goes on.
Safe travels
Peter, in Oslo
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