<p>Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday sacked his prime minister of four years, as the country grapples with a stinging economic crisis and renewed protests.</p>.<p>"President Assad issues decree number 143 for year 2020, which relieves the prime minister Imad Muhammad Dib Khamis of his position," the presidency said in a statement.</p>.<p>Khamis, 58, had been Syria's prime minister since 2016.</p>.<p>He is replaced by Water Resources Minister Hussein Arnous for an interim period leading to legislative polls set for next month.</p>.<p>"Assad assigns... Hussein Arnous the duties of prime minister as well as his (other) duties," the presidency said.</p>.<p>"The government is continuing with its work until a new parliament is elected."</p>.<p>Like Khamis, incoming premier Arnous has for several years been the target of US and European Union sanctions.</p>.<p>Parliamentary polls had been due in Syria earlier this year, but were postponed twice due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The new date set last month is July 19.</p>.<p>Khamis' sacking follows sharp criticism of his government over its handling of the economic crisis.</p>.<p>Syria's economy has been battered by nine years of war compounded by a financial crisis in neighbouring Lebanon, which had served as a conduit to bring dollars into government-held areas despite international sanctions.</p>.<p>In recent days, the value of the Syrian pound on the black market has tumbled from one record low to the next.</p>.<p>At one point this week it peaked at 3,000 pounds to the dollar, more than four times the official rate of around 700, and 60 times its pre-war rate from 2011.</p>.<p>The government has blamed the unofficial devaluation on US sanctions and exchange rate "manipulation".</p>.<p>But the rapid deterioration has sparked rare criticism in government-held areas, including in the southern city of Sweida.</p>.<p>"Revolution, freedom, social justice," dozens of protesters shouted, in slogans reminiscent of the 2011 uprising whose repression sparked a civil war that has killed more than 380,000 people.</p>.<p>Prices of some basic goods are set to increase further after US legislation known as the Caesar Act comes into effect later this month, targeting companies dealing with Damascus.</p>.<p>At a protest Thursday in Damascus, dozens chanted in support of Assad and against the US law.</p>.<p>One held up a sign reading in English: "No to America and its sanctions."</p>.<p>The World Food Programme says the skyrocketing cost of living in a country where most people already live below the poverty line means hunger could soon spread.</p>.<p>"The WFP's reference food basket has already increased by 11 percent between April and May 2020 and 133 percent since May 2019," the UN agency's spokeswoman Jessica Lawson told AFP.</p>.<p>She called that "a staggering increase for families who were already struggling to purchase the food they need".</p>.<p>Syrians have also felt the pinch as the cash-strapped government has repeatedly cut rations of subsidised fuel.</p>.<p>In a bid to replenish state coffers, the government last month ordered assets seized from Syrian tycoon, Assad's cousin Rami Makhlouf.</p>
<p>Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday sacked his prime minister of four years, as the country grapples with a stinging economic crisis and renewed protests.</p>.<p>"President Assad issues decree number 143 for year 2020, which relieves the prime minister Imad Muhammad Dib Khamis of his position," the presidency said in a statement.</p>.<p>Khamis, 58, had been Syria's prime minister since 2016.</p>.<p>He is replaced by Water Resources Minister Hussein Arnous for an interim period leading to legislative polls set for next month.</p>.<p>"Assad assigns... Hussein Arnous the duties of prime minister as well as his (other) duties," the presidency said.</p>.<p>"The government is continuing with its work until a new parliament is elected."</p>.<p>Like Khamis, incoming premier Arnous has for several years been the target of US and European Union sanctions.</p>.<p>Parliamentary polls had been due in Syria earlier this year, but were postponed twice due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The new date set last month is July 19.</p>.<p>Khamis' sacking follows sharp criticism of his government over its handling of the economic crisis.</p>.<p>Syria's economy has been battered by nine years of war compounded by a financial crisis in neighbouring Lebanon, which had served as a conduit to bring dollars into government-held areas despite international sanctions.</p>.<p>In recent days, the value of the Syrian pound on the black market has tumbled from one record low to the next.</p>.<p>At one point this week it peaked at 3,000 pounds to the dollar, more than four times the official rate of around 700, and 60 times its pre-war rate from 2011.</p>.<p>The government has blamed the unofficial devaluation on US sanctions and exchange rate "manipulation".</p>.<p>But the rapid deterioration has sparked rare criticism in government-held areas, including in the southern city of Sweida.</p>.<p>"Revolution, freedom, social justice," dozens of protesters shouted, in slogans reminiscent of the 2011 uprising whose repression sparked a civil war that has killed more than 380,000 people.</p>.<p>Prices of some basic goods are set to increase further after US legislation known as the Caesar Act comes into effect later this month, targeting companies dealing with Damascus.</p>.<p>At a protest Thursday in Damascus, dozens chanted in support of Assad and against the US law.</p>.<p>One held up a sign reading in English: "No to America and its sanctions."</p>.<p>The World Food Programme says the skyrocketing cost of living in a country where most people already live below the poverty line means hunger could soon spread.</p>.<p>"The WFP's reference food basket has already increased by 11 percent between April and May 2020 and 133 percent since May 2019," the UN agency's spokeswoman Jessica Lawson told AFP.</p>.<p>She called that "a staggering increase for families who were already struggling to purchase the food they need".</p>.<p>Syrians have also felt the pinch as the cash-strapped government has repeatedly cut rations of subsidised fuel.</p>.<p>In a bid to replenish state coffers, the government last month ordered assets seized from Syrian tycoon, Assad's cousin Rami Makhlouf.</p>