Protests break out across Syria over fuel price increases

Demonstrators burn tyres and block highways as protests over increased fuel prices grip Syrian cities.

Protests erupt across Syria over sharp fuel price hikes

Protests have erupted across several cities in Syria after the government increased fuel prices, with demonstrators blocking a main highway for several hours.

The government raised prices on Sunday by up to 40 percent on diesel and 28 percent on petrol, in what it said were temporary increases caused by a sharp rise in the global cost of securing fuel.

Syria’s government also cited an overhaul of the critical Baniyas refinery for higher prices, saying it will raise capacity from 80,000 to 130,000 barrels per day.

A protester burns tyres on the highway between Aleppo and Turkiye to protest against fuel price increases in Syria on September 13, 2026 [Mahmoud Hassano/Reuters]

Protests were reported in Hama, Khan Sheikhoun and Maarat al-Numan. Footage published by Al Jazeera shows crowds gathering on the street and burning tyres. The price increases also prompted fierce debate on social media.

The country is currently producing about 102,000 barrels of oil per day, while it needs about 325,000 barrels per day for domestic consumption and is relying on imports to make up the difference, Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said on Saturday.

The Ministry of Energy said it would continue to review prices as global market conditions change and would work over the long term to expand refining and storage capacity, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

Syria’s fuel supplies are key to the country’s economic recovery as it seeks to rebuild after 14 years of war.

叙利亚各大城市爆发抗议活动，示威者焚烧轮胎、封锁高速公路，抗议燃油价格上涨。

叙利亚各地因燃油价格大幅上涨爆发抗议活动

叙利亚政府提高燃油价格后，多个城市爆发抗议活动，示威者封锁了一条主要公路数小时。

政府周日将柴油价格上调了高达 40%，汽油价格上调了 28%，称这是由于全球燃料供应成本急剧上升而导致的暂时性涨价。

叙利亚政府还表示，对关键的巴尼亚斯炼油厂进行改造将推高油价，并称这将使产能从每天 8 万桶提高到 13 万桶。

2026年9月13日，一名抗议者在叙利亚阿勒颇和土耳其之间的高速公路上焚烧轮胎，以抗议燃油价格上涨。[马哈茂德·哈萨诺/路透社]

据报道，哈马、汗谢洪和马阿拉特努曼等地爆发了抗议活动。半岛电视台发布的视频显示，人群聚集在街头焚烧轮胎。物价上涨也在社交媒体上引发了激烈的讨论。

叙利亚能源部长穆罕默德·巴希尔周六表示，该国目前每天生产约 10.2 万桶石油，而国内消费每天需要约 32.5 万桶石油，因此依靠进口来弥补缺口。

据叙利亚国家通讯社（SANA）报道，能源部表示，将随着全球市场状况的变化继续审查价格，并将长期致力于扩大炼油和储存能力。

叙利亚的燃料供应对该国在经历了 14 年的战争后寻求重建的经济复苏至关重要。