Damascus, Sept 15. (dpa/GNA) – Demonstrators took to the streets on Monday across several Syrian provinces for the second day, to protest rising fuel prices, blocking main roads.
Demonstrations are taking place in several areas including Deir al-Zour, al-Hasakeh, al-Raqqa, Aleppo, and Idlib. Several highways have been blocked using burning tires and rocks, prompting security forces to clear the roads, including the Damascus-Aleppo international highway.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Energy said it was raising fuel prices, including a 40% increase for diesel and a 28% increase for petrol, the state-run SANA news agency reported.
The ministry said the “increase reflected a combination of international market pressures, and domestic supply constraints,” with the latter due to maintenance work at Banyas Refinery. The move is expected to affect more than 100 commodities, as well as transportation costs, activist Abdullah al-Hamad told dpa. “The state must take citizens into consideration. We are protesting today to send a message to the government that this decision is ill-advised,” he added, urging the government to reverse it.
Fatima al-Ali, a teacher from the Deir al-Zour countryside, said, the cost of travelling between Damascus and Deir al-Zour has increased by 50,000 Syrian Liras ($3.85). “Many teachers who rely on public transport to get to school will stop teaching because their salaries no longer cover the cost of the commute,” she said.
According to UN figures, approximately 90% of the population live below the poverty line. Ali Abdul-Razzaq, one of the protest organizers, told dpa that the demonstrators “are staunch supporters of the state.” But the state “must feel our suffering; this decision affects every aspect of life. What we want from the state is to reverse this decision.”
Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, told reporters that Syria currently produces around 100,000 barrels per day, while daily needs are around 300,000 barrels.
GNA