‘People don’t have money’: Syrian fuel hikes deepen economic pain

Damascus, Syria – The fuel price hike hit at midnight on Sunday. By Monday morning, frustration had poured into the streets, sparking open defiance across Syria.A sudden government decree drove diesel prices up by 40 percent overnight and petrol by 28 percent. For millions of Syrians, the price increase is a direct threat to their survival.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Syria abolishes al-Assad-era ‘terrorism’ court as Kurdish tensions flarelist 2 of 3Why some countries fail while others prosper in the Middle East and Africalist 3 of 3US set to approve 60,000 heavy bombs for Israel: What that meansend of listDemonstrators quickly gathered in public squares from Aleppo and Idlib in the north to Hama in central Syria and Deraa in the south, burning tyres and blocking key roads – including the main highway between Damascus and Aleppo.The initial wave of demonstrations has since eased in some areas, but the anger has not disappeared. On Wednesday, protesters in northeastern Syria blocked the M4 highway near Tal Tamr, stranding hundreds of oil tankers. Demonstrators said they would not reopen the route unless the price increases were reversed.Beyond the protests, a black ...