Syria’s Autonomous Administration to solve fuel smuggling, waste
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – On Tuesday, an official in Fuel Administration revealed that a meeting scheduled for the same day will discuss methods through which they can ban selling fuel in streets and stalls, and allow it to be sold only in fuel stations in areas of northeast Syria.
Days ago, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) decided to increase the number of fuel tankers, and this is enough to end the fuel crisis in some areas, co-chair of Fuel Administration Sadeq Muhammad Amin told North Press.
During Tuesday’s meeting, they will discuss the methods through which they can counter fuel smuggling internally and externally, he added.
AANES will impose “strict penalties” on those who sell fuel to parties from outside AANES areas of control, and they will monitor borders to end smuggling, an official of the Fuel Administration said in an exclusive statement to North Press.
“Gas will be imported from Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG) in order to cover the shortage in AANES-held areas, as gas production in northeast Syria’ wells does not cover the area’s needs,” Muhammad Amin said in the same statement.
In mid-May, the AANES canceled a decision to raise fuel prices by up to 300%.
The cancellation of the decision came in response to popular demands in the areas administered by the AANES in north and east Syria, Abd Hamid al-Mehbash, co-chair of the Executive Council of AANES.