The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Chronic crises | Fuel and bread shortage hits regime-controlled areas once again

Syrian Observatory activists have confirmed that most of petrol stations in the capital, Damascus, have been closed due to the lack of gasoline and petrol, as fuel crisis came to the fore once again. According to SOHR sources, lines of vehicles awaiting in front of some petrol stations where petrol is available have approximated three kilometres, amid growing popular discontent.

 

A similar crisis hits the provinces of Tartus, Latakiam Aleppo, Homs, Daraa and Al-Suwaidaa, as long lines of vehicles are seen awaiting in front of some petrol stations where petrol is available.

 

On the other hand, long lines of people are seen in front of bread bakeries throughout areas under the control of the Syrian regime, after shrinking petrol and flour allocations provided by the Syrian regime authorities to bread bakeries.

 

On January 3, SOHR sources reported that bread crisis continued in the Syrian regime-held areas, amid calls for solutions to the ongoing living crises, especially bread. The Syrian Observatory monitored a vigil in Qamhana city, one of the most prominent pro-regime cities in Hama countryside and the majority of its young people are fighting in the ranks of the regime forces.

 

The protesters carried placards read: “They are starving us in the name of the country – Thieves! You are even stealing the loaf of bread”, coinciding with a sever crisis in Tartus province outside bakeries, with long lines of the people queuing for hours to get bread, amid growing popular discontent.

 

The Syrian Observatory has obtained a copy of a video, in which a civilian expressing his discontent over bread crisis by saying: “The owner of the bakery told me that ‘you are not from the village, so I can not give you bread.’ Did I come from Tel Aviv!? The responsible for selling subsidized bread says I don’t have bread, in Damascus, the citizens are allowed to take bread from bakeries but in Tartus is forbidden! And it’s only allowed to get bread through street stalls, which are controlling us.”