Syria's Steepest Fuel Price Hikes Since Assad's Fall Trigger Widespread Protests

Syria’s government raised diesel prices by 40 percent over the weekend, while also increasing petrol prices by roughly 28 percent and cooking gas prices by around 9 percent. Officials cited fuel shortages, higher import costs, reduced Russian fuel imports, outages at the Baniyas refinery, and global energy market pressures. Under the new pricing, diesel sells for about 175 Syrian pounds per litre and petrol rose to around 185 pounds per litre.

The price hikes triggered the widest protests in the country since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government and the transitional authorities taking power. Demonstrators in cities including Aleppo blocked major roads and burned tyres in response to the announcement.

The unrest adds to years of civil conflict, currency depreciation, shortages, and disrupted supply chains, presenting an early and significant test for the transitional leadership as they simultaneously manage security operations in the south and east.