Syria to close agencies due to fuel shortage

Syria will close several government agencies on December 11th and 18th amid a growing fuel shortage across the country.

Syria has lost much of its oil-production capabilities since its civil war began in 2011, in part because of the loss of its oil fields to Kurdish forces. Vital commercial activities have also become severely restricted in what is already a badly battered economy suffering from high levels of poverty and unemployment. With 90% of Syrians living below the poverty line, growing anger has led to the most forceful anti-government protests since the conflict’s outbreak.
Iran has been a reliable supplier of energy to Syria for the past decade. Recently, ministers from both governments announced intentions to explore a joint oil and gas partnership. U.S. enforcement of sanctions has made it difficult for Iran’s supplies to reach Syrian ports. The ruling al-Assad regime is coming to a critical juncture for its future, given the scale of the issues facing the nations and its diminished capacity to address them. While Iran’s aid may help Syria cover needs in the short term, a negotiated peace between the varied state-backed factions that control its territory may be needed to resolve its administrative collapse.