Price hike of fuel raises public rage in Syria’s Idlib
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Price successive hikes that fuel witnessed in Idlib, northwest Syria, has raised an unprecedented anger rage of the residents of the region.
Watad Petroleum company, which monopolizes the fuels imported to Idlib city which is completely controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front), has raised the fuel prices three times within a week.
The price hike coincided with the devaluation of the Turkish lira (TRY), which has been dealt with in areas held by the Turkish-backed faction since last year, against the US dollar.
Since June 2020, the Syrian Interim Government and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) affiliated Salvation Government issued a decision to use the Turkish currency instead of the Syrian pound, which witnessed a record devaluation at the time reaching to 5,000 SYP against each US dollar.
Meanwhile, residents of Idlib say dealing with TRY has increased their brunt and daily expenses and affected the price of all products.
According to Lira website, Turkish lira dropped to 11,30 against the USD, while one TRY equals 322 Syrian Pounds.
On November 17, Idlib-based Watad Petroleum company increased prices of fuel derivatives in Idlib city for the second time within a week as Turkish lira (TRY) dropped against the USD in a new record low.
One liter of top-tier imported gasoline in Idlib has come up to 9.83 TRY (3,100 SYP)
and one liter of top-tier imported diesel costs 9,14 TRY (2,900 SYP), one liter of second quality imported diesel has come up to 6,96 TRY (2,200 SYP) and one liter of first filtered diesel has come up to 5,77 TRY (1,800 SYP).
The prices of one gas cylinder hiked to 137 TRY (44,000 SYP) after it was 127,5 TRY.
In mid-November, Watad Petroleum increased the prices of oil derivatives in northwest Syria shortly after it had already surged their prices, a move that caused a widespread public contempt and rage in northwest Syria.
Watad Petroleum claimed that hikes in fuel prices and gas cylinder are because the Turkish lira tumbled against the USD.