Demonstrators block a road with flaming tires while protesting hikes to fuel prices in al-Bab, northeast of Aleppo in northern Syria, on September 14, 2026. Syrians on September 14 held demonstrations in various parts of the country for the second consecutive day over the government's decision to increase fuel prices due to the Middle East war. They mark the first such protest since the Islamist authorities seized power after ousting in December 2024 longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, under whom demonstrations were strictly prohibited. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP via Getty Images)