KNC Condemns PYD’s Fuel Price Hike, Warns of Dire Economic and Social Consequences

ARK News.. The General Secretariat of the Kurdish National Council in Syria (KNC) issued, on Monday, April 21, 2025, a statement strongly criticizing the recent decision by the Democratic Union Party (PYD)-led Autonomous Administration to raise fuel prices in areas under its control in Syrian Kurdistan.

Below is the full text of the statement:

In yet another move that reflects blatant disregard for the suffering of citizens in Syrian Kurdistan, the Autonomous Administration affiliated with the Democratic Union Party (PYD) has issued an unjust decision to dramatically increase the prices of diesel and (unsubsidized) gasoline to unprecedented levels. The price per liter has been raised to 6,200 Syrian pounds (equivalent to $0.55 USD), after having previously risen from $0.30 to $0.40 — all without any prior official announcement, in what appears to be an attempt to evade responsibility.

This decision comes amid a dire economic and living situation, marked by the continual rise in prices of essential goods and the near-total absence of basic life necessities such as electricity, bread, and clean water — all while unemployment and lack of job opportunities prevail.

The fuel hike adds another heavy burden on the shoulders of already struggling citizens, further deepening poverty and economic deterioration in the region.

The recent increase in bread prices, coupled with this surge in fuel prices, is expected to have catastrophic consequences — especially on the agricultural sector, which has already been crippled by years of drought and a series of poor policy decisions, including the low wheat procurement prices set last season, which severely harmed farmers and the sector as a whole.

Diesel is a vital input for operating irrigation pumps on farmlands — the only areas still capable of production this year. Therefore, this decision poses a direct threat to the wheat crop, a strategic commodity that underpins food security in our region and across Syria.

The repercussions are not limited to agriculture. The decision has triggered widespread inflation, affecting food prices, bread, transportation costs, medicine, and even electricity via private generator networks (ampere system), making everyday life increasingly unbearable for residents.

As the Kurdish National Council (KNC), we categorically reject this decision and demand its immediate reversal. We hold the PYD-led administration fully accountable for the grave social and economic consequences that will follow.

While we remain committed to supporting any political understandings that advance the Kurdish cause and a shared political vision, we strongly condemn all decisions that harm our people or add to their hardship.

The continued monopolization of power, lack of transparency, and reliance on impulsive and self-serving decisions have proven to be a failed strategy, exacerbating crises, increasing poverty, and expanding the waves of displacement and emigration.

We reaffirm our commitment to defending the rights and interests of our people through all legitimate and peaceful means, and we will continue to stand against these harmful policies.

General Secretariat of the Kurdish National Council in Syria
April 21, 2025

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