Syria’s petroleum ministry on Sunday blamed US sanctions for forcing it to cut by up to 24% its distribution of fuel and diesel because of delays in arrival of needed supplies.
In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said it will cut by 17% the amount of diesel and 24% the amount of fuel it is distributing to the regime-controlled provinces until new supplies arrive. It offered no date for lifting the rationing.
“These measures are because of delays in the arrival of fuel products supplies because of the unjust US sanctions against our country,” the ministry said. “They are to ensure that we can continue to secure the needs of our citizens and manage the available reserves as best as possible.”
The cost of one liter of unsubsidized gasoline sells at 1,050 Syrian pounds ($0.37) on the black market while the subsidized price is 450 Syrian pounds ($0.36.) Most Syrians make less than $100 a month.
Long queues at gas stations and hours of waiting have become a daily reality, and many opted for walking or parked their private vehicles. Others have reported reducing consumption of diesel for heating by more than half in the cold winter months.
The US and other western countries have intensified sanctions against Assad and his government and allies, blaming them for the killings of hundreds of thousands of civilians during the war.
