The largest mass protests since the fall of Assad are sweeping through Syria. Behind this lie rising oil prices and a struggle for power interests.

In Syria, the largest spontaneous mass protests broke out across the country at the beginning of the week since the new interim government under President al-Sharaa came to power. The reason for this was one announced on Sundaygeneral increase in gasoline and diesel prices. Gasoline became 28 percent more expensive from one day to the next - the price of diesel even increased40 percent. Gas for households and industry also became more expensive by around 9 percent on Sunday.

Since the Iran war broke out in February, gasoline prices have risen by around 86 percent and diesel prices have more than doubled. This caused considerable frustration among the already impoverished population. According to UN figures, around 90 percent of people in Syria live below the poverty line.

People across Syria did not leave this attack on their standard of living unanswered. Protesters spontaneously gathered and blocked important roads and highways across the country by setting car tires on fire. Chief among these was the M5 motorway. It runs from the south from the capital Damascus to the important metropolis of Aleppo in the north and is therefore extremely important economically.

Protesters also specifically blocked crude oil transporters, preventing them from reaching refineries. The protesters have one clear demand in common: the price increase must be reversed. Some are also calling for the resignation of the energy minister, the finance minister and the chairman of the Syrian petroleum company.

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Protests in Rojava are particularly strong

They were particularly strongprotestsin Rojava – the until recently self-governing, predominantly Kurdish areas in northern and eastern Syria. In Til Temir, around the city of Deir ez-Zor and near Raqqa, the roads were also blocked with set car tires on fire, as was the M4 highway to Qamishlo.

There were also spontaneous strikes by bus drivers in the greater Hesekê area. After diesel was discontinued for power supply, important generators that supplemented the poor connection to the public grid failed. The protests here focus on the fact that as diesel prices rise, the prices for many everyday goods - such as food and electricity - also rise.

It is hardly surprising that the protests in this region are so strong, as they have a long tradition among the population in the Kurdish-dominated areas of asserting democratic rights and demands at least since the Rojava Revolution in 2014. In addition, there were already protests at the end of August as a result of the integration of Rojava's self-government into the Syrian state. The protests against the price increases are not taking place in isolation, but rather are part of existing protests - especially in Rojava.

There were protests, especially among young people, because of upcoming eventsReforms in the education system. The predominantly Kurdish areas were granted special protection during integration in several decrees. However, it is also planned that Kurdish will soon no longer be the regular language of instruction, but will be limited to a few lessons per week.

Against itwent on strikeStudents from Kobanê on the first day of school. The students demand their right to education in thenative languagea. Not everyone in the region speaks Arabic, so they would be forced to learn it while already being taught the language.

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Ukrainian attacks responsible for high oil prices?

The Syrian Energy Ministry cites an increase in the price of Russian crude oil as the reasons for the sharp increase in gasoline, diesel and gas prices. This is due to increasingly frequent attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian refineries. The country still gets a significant amount of its oil from Russian imports, despite promises to Washington to reduce them. The spokesman for the Ministry of Energy asserted that the increase was only temporary.

In fact, it is true that Ukraine is increasingly targeting refineries, which also has an impact on the market. After all, Moscow was forced to impose export restrictions in order to secure domestic supplies.

At the same time, the rise in the price of fuel and gas in Syria coincides with the rising oil prices on the world market as a result of the US attack on Iran. The resulting closed Strait of Hormuz is undoubtedly the main reason for rising oil prices worldwide. However, the USA vehemently denies this.

A balance of interests

TheSyrian-Russian-Western relationsare characterized by careful compromises so as not to disturb a careful balance. Al-Sharaa is finding it difficult to break away from Moscow, even though he came to power primarily with Western help from Turkey. Syria is trying to use its role as an interface between the various regional and international players to its advantage.

By making a pact with Moscow, the simultaneous dependence on Turkey and the USA can be somewhat weakened. In addition to continued oil imports, Syria recently agreed to the receipt of two Russian military bases with geopolitical relevance. The Hmeimim air base near Latakia and the naval port in Tortus shouldremain preserved, but will have to train the Syrian army in the future. Tortus in particular is the only Russian naval base directly on the Mediterranean and is therefore particularly important. The preservation of the Hmeimim base is particularly explosive because Russia supported Assad militarily from there.

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For years, Russia supported the regime through massive bombings. However, the war in Ukraine tied up many of Russia's forces, which resulted in a shift in the balance of power in Syria. The rebels around al-Sharaa - then known as al-Qaeda leader al-Joulani - took advantage of the opportunity with Western support to take power in Damascus themselves. Assad then fled to Moscow, where he still lives today.

Relations between Russia, Syria and the West therefore remain complex and unstable. Meanwhile, it is the population in particular who suffers from the power games with rising costs of living.

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