Rising fuel prices increase transportation, living costs in Hasakah

The city of Hasakah is witnessing a notable rise in fuel prices following a decision by the interim government setting prices for petroleum products. The increase has driven up the costs of transportation, food, water tanker services and electricity subscriptions, adding to the financial pressures on residents.

According to a fuel station owner in Hasakah, the decision to sell fuel at the specified price tiers has not been effectively implemented at several stations, while some fuel stations continue to charge higher prices. A liter of diesel costs around 15,000 Syrian pounds, while a liter of gasoline sells for approximately 18,000 pounds.

Resident Mara’i Hassan al-Saleh said the announced fuel prices were not being properly enforced at fuel stations, adding that a liter of first-grade gasoline had reached around 18,000 Syrian pounds.

He said rising gasoline prices had increased transportation fares, placing a heavier burden on taxi drivers and residents. Some drivers work throughout the day but earn around 150,000 Syrian pounds, he added, an amount that does not cover their living and operating expenses amid rising fuel, goods and service prices.

Al-Saleh also pointed to the approaching winter, noting that the situation regarding heating diesel remained unclear for residents. He added, although a decision had set the price at 10,500 Syrian pounds per liter, that price had not been implemented at fuel stations.

He said that fuel stations in Hasakah were selling diesel for as much as 15,000 Syrian pounds per liter, prices that exceed the purchasing power of a large segment of the population amid rising living costs and the increasing prices of essential goods.

Al-Saleh called on the relevant authorities to reconsider and reduce fuel prices in line with residents’ purchasing power and to ease the rising cost of living.

Meanwhile, resident Marwan Asaad said rising fuel prices had affected nearly every aspect of daily life, with transportation costs increasing from around 20,000 Syrian pounds per trip to approximately 50,000.

The cost of transporting goods had also risen, he added, with the price of moving certain items increasing from around 15,000 Syrian pounds to nearly 60,000.

Asaad said he had recently paid around 190,000 Syrian pounds to exchange a gas cylinder, in addition to 100,000 pounds for a round-trip taxi fare, bringing the total cost to approximately 290,000 pounds.

He also noted that electricity subscription costs had risen to $186, prompting him to install a solar power system through an installment plan to reduce his electricity expenses.

Asaad stressed that rising living costs were placing additional pressure on families as winter approached, particularly households with children and older people. He called for solutions to the problems surrounding fuel and heating.

He urged the relevant authorities to take swift action to address fuel and heating shortages, saying residents had limited capacity to bear any further financial burdens.

For his part, resident Saad Saad said rising fuel prices had affected several sectors, including ampere-based electricity subscriptions, food prices, transportation fares and water tanker services.

He explained that larger families were facing greater difficulties in securing their basic needs due to the rising cost of obtaining bread, in addition to problems related to the availability of the new currency in local markets.

He added, daily earnings now cover only part of household consumption and living expenses.

These price increases come amid mounting financial pressures on households in Hasakah, with residents calling for fuel prices to be reconsidered and regulated, and for the announced prices to be enforced to limit the impact on transportation, food, heating and essential services.

A-H 

ANHA