Syria fuel protests continue for second day across cities
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Protests over sharp fuel price increases continued for a second consecutive day across several Syrian cities on Monday, as demonstrators blocked roads, burned tires and disrupted the movement of fuel tankers.
Demonstrations were reported in Aleppo, Hama, Idlib, Raqqa, Hasakah and other areas, in the broadest unrest since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024.
In Aleppo, protesters blocked the highway linking the city with Damascus and the road toward the Turkish border. In northeastern Syria, demonstrations disrupted roads near Markada in the southern countryside of Hasakah. Protesters also halted convoys of crude-oil tankers heading toward refineries.
The protests erupted after the government raised diesel prices by 40 percent to 175 Syrian pounds per liter. Prices for 95-octane gasoline increased by 28 percent to 195 pounds, while 90-octane gasoline rose by 26 percent to 185 pounds. Household and industrial gas prices increased by about 9 percent.
The Energy Ministry described the increases as a temporary measure, citing higher global procurement costs, fuel shortages and Syria’s dependence on imports.
The price hikes have fueled concerns over rising transportation and food costs in a country where about 90 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the UN Development Program.
Syria is also facing reduced refining capacity following the closure of the Baniyas refinery for a three-month overhaul. The shutdown has increased pressure on fuel supplies as Damascus relies partly on imported crude and refined products.
The protests come as the Syrian transitional government seeks to address persistent shortages and stabilize the energy sector, while the economic impact of higher fuel prices continues to weigh on households and businesses.