Popular discontent over unstable value of Turkish lira | Confusion prevails in areas controlled by HTS and Turkish-backed factions in Idlib and Aleppo
Since the HTS-backed “Salvation Government” issued a law, in June 2020, banning treatment in Syrian pound and ordering dealing only with the Turkish currency in areas under its control in Idlib and parts of Aleppo, following the considerable Syrian currency plunge at that time affected by economic sanctions on the Syrian regime, a state of confusion and instability has been prevailing in areas under the control of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham because of the unstable exchange rate of the Turkish lira against foreign currency.
Since the adoption of the Turkish currency in Idlib and parts of Aleppo, the prices of essential products, particularly fuel which price is controlled by “Watad” company, have been unstable affected by the unstable value of the Turkish currency which hit a record low in the past few weeks, which ignited popular resentment. In this context, “Watad” company has raised the prices of petrol and oil once again by 14 piasters per litre and a cylinder of gas by 1.5 Turkish lira, as the Turkish currency keeps plummeting. The new prices of fuel in HTS-controlled areas have been set as follows:
- Imported petrol: 5.17 Turkish lira per litre
- Imported oil: 5.36 Turkish lira per litre
- Refined oil: 3.88 Turkish lira per litre
- High quality oil: 4.31 Turkish lira per litre
- A gas cylinder: 78 Turkish lira.
Many of residents complains against the varying prices in HTS-held areas and areas under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo. It is worth noting that the price difference between the two regions reaches 30 piasters per litre and six TL per a gas cylinder, despite the export company in the two regions is the same.
It is worth noting that people in HTS-controlled areas in Idlib and parts of Aleppo countryside are allowed to deal only in the Turkish currency, while people in areas under the control of the “National Army” factions and Turkish forces in Aleppo are allowed to deal with both Syrian pound and Turkish lira.