The General Directorate of Petroleum Derivatives, affiliated with the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) operating in Idlib, announced the opening of licensing for the profession of “fuel provider.”

The license targets fuel import companies and approved fuel station owners. License applications are accepted from today, Monday, September 16, until the 30th of the same month.

In its announcement published today on its official website, the directorate invited those interested in obtaining this license, which qualifies them to work in this profession, to review the directorate to learn about the governing and approved conditions.

Applications are submitted at the General Directorate of Petroleum Derivatives office, on the Sarmada-Bab al-Hawa highway, next to the Chamber of Commerce.

Fuel comes to Idlib city through imports from Turkey and is distributed and sold by companies accused of being affiliated with the Salvation Government and monopolizing the market.

In July 2023, Idlib governorate experienced a crisis and shortage of gasoline, causing congestion at fuel stations as people scrambled to secure the material. The Salvation Government attributed the gasoline shortage at the time to the replacement of ships carrying the material coming to northern Syria at Mersin port in Turkey.

On February 11, the prices of imported fuel in Idlib city dropped by a few cents of the US dollar, which slightly affected citizens since the currency in circulation is the Turkish lira.

The Salvation Government did not explain the reasons for the price drop at the time. The General Director of Petroleum Derivatives, Akram Hamouda, merely mentioned that the decrease began that morning.

Fuel prices in northern Syria are affected by global oil prices and were previously influenced by the multiple devaluations of the Turkish lira against foreign currencies.

Since December 2021, fuel companies operating in Idlib have set fuel prices in US dollars following the Turkish lira’s devaluation.

The price of first-class diesel in Idlib is $1.069 per liter, while the price of improved diesel is $0.680 per liter, and imported gasoline is $1.294 per liter. The price of a household gas cylinder is $11.83.

According to the specialized exchange rate and currency website “S-P Today,” the selling price of the dollar reached 14,750 Syrian pounds, and the buying price reached 14,650 pounds.