Aleppo and Idlib governorates are witnessing a sharp shortage of diesel fuel at stations, following a suspension and decline in supplies for over two weeks, according to fuel station owners. The scarcity has led to long queues, negatively affecting vital sectors including commercial shipping, bakeries, olive oil presses, and drinking water transport services, coinciding with seasonal demand increases as winter approaches.
Mohammad Aqad, a resident of Azaz, clarified that diesel has been almost unavailable for over seven days, which halted his car movement and prevented him from reaching his workplace. Aqad pointed out that the crisis has negatively impacted education and economic activity, and drivers are forced to wait for hours to obtain their allocations, calling on relevant authorities to intervene quickly before the weather gets colder.
For his part, long-haul truck driver Abdul Rahman Tabakh spoke about the direct impact of fuel shortages on his work, stating that he waited for more than four consecutive hours without success, losing his entire working day. Tabakh confirmed that he has been out of work for several days and saw the need to expedite the provision of fuel, even if it requires adjusting its official price.
Similarly, public transport driver Mohammad Ahmad Ibrahim explained that taxis rely entirely on diesel, noting that the fuel tank runs out within two to four days of work. Ibrahim noted that the only alternative is to resort to the unregulated market, where the price per liter reaches 30,000 Syrian pounds, making the fixed passenger fare of 4,000 pounds insufficient to cover costs.
Fuel station owners denied responsibility for the crisis, with Ahmad Ashawi explaining that stations face logistical difficulties due to the non-arrival of allocations from the Syrian Petroleum Company. He clarified that he submitted four official requests during the current month without receiving any shipment, calling on inspection committees to verify that station tanks are empty.
The situation in Idlib is no different, with severe congestion and long queues, as confirmed by Abdul Ghani Muwas, who has been searching for diesel for two days without success. Citizen Shadi Riad pointed out that the shortage halted his work, while taxi driver Yaman Liya noted that the absence of fuel caused significant damage, expressing hope for solutions from relevant authorities.
The worsening of the fuel crisis comes as government authorities continue to follow up on the energy sector file, with recent periods seeing enhanced measures to regulate distribution operations, monitor markets, and curb monopolies in various governorates.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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