Nearly two years after Bashar al-Assad was ousted, Syrians who had hoped for a better life under President Ahmed al-Sharaa are still struggling to afford basic necessities.
asserted
who → oust → necessities
Rising food, fuel and electricity costs are deepening an economic crisis that has fuelled public anger against the new administration.
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that → rise → administration
The government's inability to ease the financial burden on households was laid bare in September, when a sharp increase in fuel prices triggered widespread protests.
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increase → ease → protests
The unrest forced authorities to partially roll back the decision, according to a Reuters report.
uncertain
unrest → force → report
The government had raised diesel prices by 40 per cent on September 14, taking them to 175 Syrian pounds per litre from 125 pounds.
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government → raise → pounds
It also increased the prices of 95-octane petrol by 28 per cent to 195 pounds, 90-octane petrol by 26 per cent to 185 pounds, and household and industrial gas by around 9 per cent.
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It → increase → cent
The increases triggered demonstrations across Syria is the most widespread since Assad's fall.
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increases → trigger → fall
Protesters burned tyres, blocked key roads, including the highway linking Damascus to Aleppo, and disrupted crude tanker convoys heading towards refineries in central Syria.
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Protesters → burn → Syria
Some demanded the dismissal of the energy and economy ministers and the head of the Syrian Petroleum Company.
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Some → demand → Company
"We don't want higher wages.
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We → want → wages
All we want is lower diesel and other fuel prices," news agency Reuters reported citing protestor Yasser Salim in Aleppo.
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Reuters → want → Aleppo
Another protester, Bassam al-Ali, appealed directly to al-Sharaa.
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protester → appeal → Sharaa
"Border crossings bring in millions of dollars.
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crossings → bring → dollars
We don't want new roundabouts or malls.
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We → want → roundabouts
We just want to live," he said.
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he → want → ?
Days later, in mid September, Syria's energy minister Mohammed al-Bashir announced a partial retreat, offering diesel at three different prices depending on its intended use.
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minister → announce → use
Locally produced diesel would be sold at 115 Syrian pounds per litre for heating, agriculture and other eligible users.
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diesel → produce → heating
A second grade, sourced with the help of what Bashir described as "friendly countries", would cost 150 pounds for productive and service sectors and heavy machinery.
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Bashir → source → sectors
The standard grade would remain at 175 pounds per litre, while petrol and gas prices would remain unchanged.
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prices → remain → litre
Bashir said the government was selling standard diesel below its production cost of 206 pounds per litre.
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government → say → litre
He also announced plans to restart small local refineries, known in Syria as "burners", with a combined crude-processing capacity of up to 35,000 barrels per day.
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He → announce → day
The move followed a meeting with al-Sharaa over the fuel crisis.
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move → follow → crisis
The protests were the latest indication of the economic pressures confronting the new administration.
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protests → confront → administration
In a separate report by BBC , several Syrians struggling to afford food, pay electricity bills and find employment said their financial circumstances had deteriorated since Assad's removal.
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circumstances → struggle → removal
The United Nations Development Programme estimates that 90 per cent of Syrians live below the poverty line, compared with around a third before the civil war began in 2011.
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war → estimate → 2011
The government has cut long-standing subsidies as part of an austerity drive.
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government → cut → drive
The price of bread, a staple food, has increased tenfold, while electricity prices have risen by several hundred per cent for some consumers.
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prices → increase → consumers
Higher fuel costs have also pushed up transportation expenses and added pressure on farmers, according to the BBC.
uncertain
costs → push → BBC
The administration has adjusted public sector salaries and pensions, but rising prices have eroded the benefit of the additional payments.
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prices → adjust → payments
For many households, even basic food has become difficult to afford.
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food → become → households
Fatima Saleh Eid, a 50-year-old cleaner in a suburb of Damascus, told the BBC that her family had reduced its food consumption and could no longer afford meat.
uncertain
family → tell → meat
"We eat more sparingly now.
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We → eat → ?
We can't afford chicken anymore, nor meat.
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We → afford → chicken
We only eat vegetables but even [that is] expensive," she said.
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she → eat → vegetables
Another resident, Nabil al-Remhein, a 63-year-old pensioner said that his family had been reduced to one meal a day.
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family → say → meal
None of his four adult children could find work.
uncertain
None → find → work
His electricity bill accounted for around a third of the family's income, forcing them to cut back on lighting and switch off their refrigerator for about five hours a day.
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bill → account → hours
"We're now having only one meal a day.
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We → have → meal
It's tragic," he said.
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he → say → ?
Marwan Bashour, a 68-year-old pensioner, said his monthly income was around $90, equivalent to the public sector minimum wage.
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income → say → wage
…and 31 more, not listed.
The Aporia
