Protests against Turkish electricity company renew in Aleppo northern countryside
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Protests against the Turkish electricity company Ak Energy renewed on Sunday evening in the cities of Afrin and Mare’, north of Aleppo.
“Dozens of residents in the city of Mare’ protested against the city’s electricity company and blocked roads by burning tires, amid calls for a price reduction,” an eyewitness told North Press.
For two days, several areas in the north and east of Aleppo, which are under the control of Turkey, have witnessed widespread protests against the electricity company after the latter raised the price of each kilowatt of power from 2.45 Turkish liras ($0.15) to 4.50 ($0.27).
Another protest took place in the city of Afrin, north of Aleppo, denouncing the company’s policy and calling for the dissolution of the local council accused of collaborating with the company, according to the same source.
The protests against the company continue for three consecutive day, amid the company’s inability to find a fundamental solution to the problem.
On March 22, the electricity company raised the price of each 100 KW of power for household consumption from 185 Turkish liras ($11.3) to 245 ($14.9), and each kilowatt of the industrial power was raised from 3 Turkish liras ($0.18) to 3.20 ($0.19).
In early January, cities and towns in east of Aleppo witnessed large-scale public protests against Turkey and its affiliated councils following a decision to raise the electricity price in these areas.
In 2018, the local council of Afrin authorized the private Turkish company AK Energy to provide Afrin and its countryside with electricity by laying high-voltage cables through Bab al-Salama border crossing in the Sejo area, north of the city.