Syria: Major Roads Blocked as Fuel-Price Protests Spread

By Staff, Agencies

Several international and main roads across Syria were blocked on Sunday as protests expanded over recent fuel-price increases, disrupting traffic and prompting warnings against travel on several major routes.

According to information cited by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Damascus Road was completely blocked, with calls for travelers to avoid heading toward the capital until further notice.

Protesters also continued blocking the Aleppo-Damascus highway, disrupting traffic along the major route and prompting warnings to residents about using certain international roads for their safety.

Large crowds have taken to the streets in Maarrat Al-Numan, with protesters blocking the Aleppo-Damascus highway as demonstrations over the Al-Sharaa government’s latest fuel-price increases grow increasingly confrontational.

The road closures extended across several areas as anger grew over the impact of higher fuel prices on transportation and the cost of basic goods and services.

In the Raqqa countryside, protesters blocked the Raqqa-Tell Abyad Road, objecting to the increase in fuel prices and the resulting economic pressures on residents.

The road in Khan Shaykhun, in the Idlib countryside, was also blocked, while protesters closed the route linking Deir Ezzor and Raqqa.

The disruptions have affected several important transport corridors, raising concerns over the movement of civilians and goods between major population centers.

The latest protests come amid growing public anger over deteriorating economic and living conditions, with fuel prices becoming a major source of immediate pressure on households.

The increase in fuel prices has emerged as the immediate trigger for demonstrations, but the grievances behind the protests extend beyond the cost of fuel.

Residents are facing rising transportation costs alongside increases in the prices of essential goods and services. Higher fuel costs are also expected to affect the cost of transporting commodities, potentially adding further pressure to already elevated consumer prices. These higher cost come in the backdrop broader economic difficulties, including higher customs fees, increased bread and construction-material prices, declining employment opportunities, and low wages.

Alongside demands for relief from deteriorating living conditions, protesters have also raised calls for accountability for those responsible for violations and crimes.