Syria Diesel Prices Surge 40%, Widespread Protests Erupt

Syria raised diesel prices 40% and gasoline prices by 28% on Saturday, sparking widespread unrest. Protesters blocked highways and burned tires along roads, marking the country's largest unrest since Bashar al-Assad's fall in December 2024. The price hike is due to higher global procurement costs and reduced Russian crude imports following Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries. Syria imports 60,000 barrels a day of Russian crude, but exports have been restricted, exacerbating the country's 102,000-barrel-per-day domestic demand shortfall.