AANES makes progress in repairing gas plant hit by Turkey in NE Syria
DERIK, Syria (North Press) – An official in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) said on Thursday that they have made significant progress in repairing Sweidiya gas plant in the countryside of Derik (al-Malikiyah), a city far northeast Syria, which was destroyed by Turkish airstrikes.
Aqid Abdulmajid, the director of the Sweidiya gas plant, told North Press that they immediately started repairing the damaged parts, tanks, and pipelines of the plant as soon as the Turkish attacks ended. The directorate’s staff relied on its own efforts and attempted to acquire unavailable equipment from abroad.
In January, the Turkish airstrikes targeted oil refineries energy facilities, gas facilities, and water installations, causing a living crisis in AANES-held areas, including ongoing electricity cuts and rise in the price of the cooking gas cylinder to more than $10 per one.
Abdulmajid did not specify a specific timeframe for bringing the plant back into service, but he mentioned that the directorate has made significant progress in the maintenance operations. He highlighted the round-the-clock work of the staff, including workers, technicians, and engineers.
The director added that the current high price of gas is due to the cost of imports, transportation, and distribution. However, he assured that the price will not remain high once the plant is back in service.
The Turkish strikes caused significant financial and economic losses, resulting in a budget deficit for the AANES, Abdulmajid added.