Syria's embattled president has decreed a law allowing opposition political parties after the United Nations condemned his regime's deadly crackdown on democracy protests.
The law allows political parties to be established and function alongside President Bashar al-Assad's Baath Party, in power since 1963.
Political pluralism has been at the forefront of demands by pro-reform dissidents who since March 15 have been taking to the streets across Syria almost daily to call for greater freedoms, AFP reports.
Mr Assad's regime has sought to crush the movement with brutal force, killing more than 1600 civilians and arresting thousands, according to human rights activists.
In the latest bloodshed, at least six people were killed and dozens wounded on Wednesday when security forces opened fire on protesters in Damascus, near Daraa in the south and Palmyra in central Syria, an activist said.
Demonstrators have vowed to protest every night of Ramadan following evening prayers despite the assault on Hama and the killing of some 120 people across the country on the eve of the Muslim holy month.