The Watad Petroleum Company run by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the city of Idleb, northwest Syria, posted on social media that it has switched prices for purchasing fuel to USD instead of the Turkish currency.
Such a decision only serves the interests of traders and companies, local sources told North Press.
“The decision to set fuel prices in USD deepens the suffering of the locals in Idleb as prices will change more than once in a single day,” Ala’ Abdullah, a professor at the faculty of Economy at the Idleb University said.
“The old purchase system determined the prices for a whole day despite the exchange rate fluctuations,” he added.
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But now, the money changers’ union will install computers in every accredited gas station and center that sell household gas cylinders, thus authorizing owners to adjust fuel prices according to the Turkish lira, Watad Petroleum said.
“The Salvation Government and HTS work together in profit and loss balance and will attempt to benefit as much as possible by exploiting the people already living difficult economic conditions,” other local sources to North Press.
The decision caused contempt amongst the people who said it is a new way to loot the people and to increase Watad Petroleum’s profits by manipulating fuel prices 24 hours a day.
The fall of the value of the Turkish lira in Idleb caused difficult livelihood conditions for the already low-income population.
On November 15th, dozens of people from Idleb, took to the streets protesting unprecedented inflation.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.