Kanan Abdullah has been working as a driver in the Syrian capital Damascus for around 12 years but he, like many others in his trade, is now finding it difficult to make ends meet following recent fuel price rises in Syria.
asserted
ends → work → Syria
"You're left with almost nothing at the end of the day" he told DW.
asserted
he → leave → DW
"You have enough to buy another tank of gas but how are you supposed to buy food?
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you → have → food
Or what if you need money set aside to repair the car?" he complained.
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he → need → car
His potential passengers feel the same way.
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passengers → feel → ?
"People are starting to worry about how they're going to get to work and get home because transport alone is costing them half their pay," added Kamar Kasoum, a local mother of three.
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Kasoum → start → three
In mid-September, the Syrian government raised the price of all kinds of fuel, including petrol and diesel.
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government → raise → petrol
Diesel saw the biggest hike, rising 40%.
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Diesel → see → hike
The energy ministry explained such changes were necessary because of higher global fuel costs — Syria remains dependent on energy imports — as well as local shortages.
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Syria → explain → imports
Widest protests since dictatorship
The move triggered some of the most widespread protests Syria has seen since thedictatorial Assad regime was toppled in late 2024.
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regime → trigger → 2024
While fuel prices are still comparable with other countries in the region, Syrians are struggling because of lower purchasing power, experts say.
asserted
experts → struggle → power
Demonstrators burned tires, blocked roads and called for the dismissal of politicians they held responsible.
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they → burn → politicians
The protests subsided as the Syrian government walked back some changes and announced plans to subsidize diesel for heating, agriculture and industry.
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government → subside → heating
But higher fuel prices are only the latest to add inflationary pressure on ordinary Syrians.
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prices → add → Syrians
In its most recent bulletin on the consumer price index, the Syrian Center for Policy Research, says prices increased almost 25% between July 2025 and July 2026.
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prices → say → July
"There is no sensible correlation between the income an individual earns in Syria and the prices they're paying," Alaa Sndyan, an architect in Damascus, told DW.
asserted
Sndyan → be → DW
"People are starting to feel the pinch, they feel that prices have gotten way too high."
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prices → start → pinch
"And these protests and demonstrations didn't just come out of nowhere," Kamar Kasoum added.
asserted
Kasoum → come → ?
"We're at the point where we can't even say that we're just cutting back on non-priorities.
asserted
we → say → priorities
It's like, let's just stick to eating and drinking.
asserted
's → let → eating
All this is happening despite what appears to be a lot of good news about the Syrian economy.
asserted
what → happen → economy
There are regular reports about billion-dollar, international investments and projects and, speaking at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai on Tuesday, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa predicted Syria's economy would be worth around $50 billion (approx. €44 billion) this year, up from around $20 billion in 2024.
asserted
economy → be → 2024
But this much-celebrated prosperity somehow doesn't seem to be reaching ordinary Syrians, over two-thirds of whom still live in comparative poverty according to United Nations.
uncertain
thirds → celebrate → Nations
A new Syria for 'the rich'
Damascus architect Sndyan said it was hard to tell who's benefitting from economic development.
asserted
who → say → development
"With a lot of the projects being announced now, we don't see anything happening on the ground, there's no impact on the real world," she argued.
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she → announce → world
"And I always feel like these projects are aimed at a specific demographic: the affluent class.
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projects → feel → demographic
Sndyan added that she felt as if ordinary people who lost everything during Syria's civil war were being forgotten in the midst of various grand plans.
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who → add → plans
She said she would also like to see more transparency and better communication from the government around its plans.
asserted
she → say → plans
There has been plenty of criticism about the direction of Syria's economic planning as well as concerns it may benefit the already-wealthy most.
uncertain
it → benefit → wealthy
More extreme anti-government activists have pointed to the luxury watches some Syrian politicians appear to be wearing, making accusations of "crony capitalism" and suggesting the government is diverting funds into the military in order to secure its own power.
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government → point → power
None of those accusations are verified.
asserted
None → verify → accusations
But criticism has also comes from more moderate quarters.
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criticism → come → quarters
In an August story, Syrian outlet Al Jumhuriya looked into the billion-dollar real estate projects announced around the country.
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outlet → look → country
These are mostly comprised of gated communities and luxury apartments, it said.
asserted
it → comprise → communities
In a country with a major housing crisis, "who will actually be able to live in these projects?" the publication asked.
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publication → live → projects
'Neo-liberal' policies not suitable
There's concern old patterns are being repeated.
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patterns → be → ?
"As certain pre-existing forms of corruption and extraction change, new channels of privilege are emerging … albeit with new winners and losers," Syrian think tank Etana argued in an analysis this week.
asserted
Etana → change → analysis
Observers say the neo-liberal style reforms the Syrian government is currently committed to will only worsen this problem and, in the longer run, cause the same kinds of social problems that sparked Syria's revolution in 2011.
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that → say → 2011
When the new Syrian government first took control in late 2024, ordinary Syrians were willing to give them a chance.
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Syrians → take → chance
But monthly polling by the magazine, Syria in Transition, indicates patience is wearing thin.
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patience → indicate → Transition
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
