Syria’s Hasakah witnesses fuel shortage, corruption accusations to officials
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – After hours waiting in a queue, Salem al-Jasem, a cycler from Hasakah, northeast Syria, was surprised to know that he is allowed to fill only four liters of gasoline.
“Sometimes, I come to the station at 5 am and wait there for hours. When I want to fill gasoline, I have to suspend my work,” al-Jasem said while leaning on his motorbike.
Additionally, al-Jasem accuses owners of fuel stations of “corruption and favoritism.”
Meanwhile, “gasoline is available in black markets at 1,000 Syrian pounds (SYP) per liter, I know traders who buy about 50 barrels of it,” he added.
Al-Jasem hold authorities responsible for distributing and providing fuel to all stations to avoid overcrowdings.
Currently, fuel stations in Hasakah are witnessing overcrowdings as a result of increasing demands for fuel, especially, diesel and gasoline.
Meanwhile, car owners and cyclers wait for long hours in front of fuel-subsidized stations such as Safiya, al-Salam, and al-Khabour in order to fill their cars’ tanks and motorbikes with fuel.
“I went to Safiya fuel station at 4 am. I waited there in the line until 8 am,” Hamed Mousa, taxi driver working in the city of Hasakah, said.
“Then, gasoline was ran out and I did not fill my car,” he added.
“I went to Khashman station, where there was no gasoline left,” so that drivers headed towards al-Khabour station, according to him.
“Last time, I waited in the line in front of Khashman station at 12 am, and I obtained it at 6 am,” he indicated.
Car owners and cyclers obtain gasoline from fuel-subsidized stations at 210 SYP per liter, which is sold at 900 SYP in black market while, regular gasoline is sold at 2,000 SYP.
There are dozens of shops and stalls in the city of Hasakah that sell fuel at prices that are about five times what is sold in fuel stations.
On May 19, in response to a public rejection, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) canceled the resolution 119 to raise fuel prices in its areas of control two days after issuing it.
The raise included the prices of diesel and gasoline, in addition to propane gas, with rates ranging from 100% to more than 300%.
North Press Agency contacted the co-precedency of Fuel Directorate in Hsasakh in order to knew the reasons after the problem, but the latter required obtaining an approval from the Fuel Directorate in Jazira region to make a statement to the agency.
Meanwhile, North Press Agency contacted the official of the Fuel Directorate in Jazira region more than once, but the latter did not comment on the issue nor did he gave approval to obtain a statement from the fuel department in Hasakah.