On motorbikes or in small trucks, dozens of Syrians risk their lives daily to smuggle fuel between territories held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and those under government control. Driven by a deepening economic crisis, this business continues to grow despite the deadly risks involved.
Every morning, along the dusty roads of northeast Syria, convoys of motorcyclists speed by, jerricans of petrol and diesel strapped tightly to their bikes. These smugglers are the faces of a lucrative business that has thrived since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
The smugglers buy fuel in the areas controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), where petrol and diesel are cheaper. They take it to zones controlled by the new Islamist government.
Most of the oilfields and oil wells in Syria are located in zones controlled by the SDF in the country's east. Meanwhile, the government has to purchase fuel at high prices from intermediaries in Kurdish-controlled regions.
Day Hafir, under SDF control, has become a key supply point for the smugglers, much like the neighbouring town of Maskana.
Map showing the zones controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (in yellow). © Upian / syria.liveuamap
This is where the smugglers get their supplies. Both ordinary residents and organised traffickers then transport the fuel westward towards Manbij – some carrying just one or two jerrycans, others with small trucks piled high with tanks.
The smugglers unload when they reach their destination. They earn $10 for each jerrycan, a pittance considering the risks involved. The smugglers risk arrest at any moment by the government or the SDF. They also risk being shot at.
In November, a group of smugglers was shot at in Dayr Hafir. Several of them were injured. A pickup truck transporting barrels of fuel was also targeted in an attack that claimed the life of a 32-year-old man.
Our Observer Ali (pseudonym), who is based in the region, told our team:
“I have talked to several smugglers. They tell me that there's no other work. Smuggling is the only way they can make a living. They have no option but to risk their lives.”
English (US) · 