🔻 Syria government decision to raise prices of oil products has sparked public anger, which has also been widely reflected on social media.

The Syrian Ministry of Energy announced on Sunday (September 13 / Shahrivar 22) that the rates of some oil products will increase by “between 25 and 40%”.

Based on a report by Syria’s pricing committee for fuel products, with a 40% increase, each liter of diesel rose from 125 to 175 Syrian lira (1/32 dollars per liter). The price of home gas also increased by more than eight percent.

It is said that the reason for this price increase is the rise in the cost of oil derivatives in global markets, which coincided with repairs and maintenance of the Banias refinery in western Syria.

Protests against this government decision were not limited to social media, and in some areas of Syria, including Idlib and Hama, popular protests took place.

According to Syrian media reports, protesters in Idlib caused gridlock by blocking the international road between Damascus and Aleppo.