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DAMASCUS, Syria--Protests in the south of Syria continued Tuesday, the fifth consecutive day of unrest that is posing an unprecedented challenge to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Small gatherings had been reported Monday and Tuesday in several agricultural towns around the city of Deraa, which has been the center of protests since Friday, as well as in Hajjar al-Aswad, a town close to Damascus.

In an attempt to quell the unrest, Mr. Assad on Tuesday dismissed the governor of Deraa, Faisal Kolthoum. People familiar with the matter said the city's head of political security has been transferred.

The U.S. on Monday condemned Syria's reaction to the protests, which have been largely peaceful.

"The United States condemns the violence that has taken place in Syria over the weekend," said Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the National Security Council. Reports indicated that Syrian authorities had used "disproportionate force against civilians, and in particular against demonstrators and mourners in Deraa," Mr. Vietor said.