"Now we eat only once a day." Life in post-war Syria after the fall of the Assad regime is difficult

In September, protests erupted in Syrian cities. In squares and on streets, protesters burned tires, blocked roads, and chanted slogans, expressing outrage at the government's decision to raise fuel prices again. This was the largest manifestation of discontent with government decisions since Ahmed al-Sharaa came to power in the country two years ago.

One of the protesters told a Syrian TV channel that he still supports the authorities, but his situation has become so difficult that he can no longer afford bread. "Honestly, we are already afraid of what new decision the next morning will bring us," added another protester.

The latest increase in fuel prices is another link in the chain of government decisions that are making the population poorer.

Павялічыць

After rebels led by al-Sharaa overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad, ending fifty years of harsh rule by the Assad family and thirteen years of destructive civil war, the well-being of many Syrians significantly worsened.

Having taken office as president, al-Sharaa began efforts to restore the economy, which had suffered from a long war and sanctions.

No one doubted that this was a very difficult task. However, celebrating the overthrow of Assad, Syrians—perhaps overly optimistically—hoped for rapid changes for the better. But after two years of the new authorities' work, the lives of the population have not improved. On the contrary, the financial situation of a significant part of the population continues to deteriorate, and the government's economic policy causes disappointment for many.

Prices have risen on almost everything, including utilities and essential goods. The latest, unexpected increase in fuel costs was perceived by many as a sign that the government is detached from reality.

"We don't need roundabouts! Every day a new roundabout is being built. People supported you and remain on your side," said another protester, addressing al-Sharaa, "but such actions can lead to an explosion."

A few days later, amidst calls for new protests, the decision to raise prices was canceled.

"Now we eat more modestly. We can no longer afford chicken even once a week," says Fatima Saleh Eid.

In a suburb of Damascus, a BBC journalist met Fatima Saleh Eid. She came to the market to buy groceries for the week. Fatima is 50 years old and works as a cleaner to help support her family.

"We've had a very hard time," she says. Her husband recently got a job at a ceramic factory; before that, he was unemployed for a year. He was lucky: many of their acquaintances have been unable to find work for a long time. On some streets, men gather, waiting for casual earnings — often in vain.

As part of its austerity policy, the al-Sharaa government significantly reduced subsidies that had been in place for many years under Assad. After this, the price of bread — a staple food in Syria — increased tenfold. Fuel prices in Syria now match average global indicators. The sharp rise in fuel prices hit farmers, all transportation became more expensive, and electricity tariffs for many companies rose by hundreds of percent.

The authorities tried to ease tensions by indexing salaries in the public sector, as well as pensions, but due to the constant rise in prices, these increases in salaries and pensions are practically unnoticeable.

"Now we eat much more modestly. We can no longer afford chicken or meat. We only eat vegetables, but even they are expensive," Fatima says. "God willing, prices will someday decrease."

An elderly man nearby also admitted that he stopped buying meat. Another, about twenty years old, said that his family can no longer afford medicine for his father, who has a heart condition. One young woman confessed that she and her four children can only afford a full meal once every two days.

"I'm afraid of the electricity bill"

68-year-old pensioner Marwan Bashour says his monthly income is about $90 — the minimum public sector wage. "That's nowhere near enough," he says.

According to the UN Development Programme, 90% of Syrians lived in poverty in 2025.

Marwan Bashour recounted how he manages to survive on $90 a month.

"Sometimes I borrow money, sometimes I sell things from home. For example, an old pot, plates we never used, or gifts we once received. I even had to sell furniture," he says.

There were other difficulties too. Like many Syrians, Marwan used to rely on help from humanitarian organizations. But now that support has ceased: due to funding cuts, the organizations were forced to reduce the volume of aid.

Syria also felt the consequences of the confrontation between the US and Iran. According to a government statement, the fuel price hike that sparked the protests was partly caused by pressure on energy markets arising from this conflict.

The BBC met another pensioner, 63-year-old Nabil al-Remhein. None of his four adult children have been able to find work.

"Now we eat only once a day. This is a real tragedy. And it's not just me — the entire population lives like this. We are all starving... We are suffocating under the burden of rising prices," he says. Fatigue is visible on his face.

Nabil led the journalist to his home, in a poor neighborhood with narrow streets and modest buildings. When they arrived, his wife was doing housework. The house was dark, but she didn't turn on the light.

"I'm afraid of the electricity bill," Nabil confessed. "We started turning on the lights in the house less often, and we unplug the refrigerator for about five hours a day."

Yet the last bill amounted to about a third of the family's income. Nabil never paid it.

Haid Haid, a Syrian publicist and visiting expert at the London think tank Chatham House, noted that the situation of a "significant part of the population" has become worse than before the fall of the Assad regime.

According to him, the economic crisis is one of the "most dangerous problems" for the government, and it has partly caused it itself.

"Partially [the crisis] is related to the lack of [financial] resources and the legacy of the previous regime," he explained. "But it is also a direct consequence of the new policy aimed at transitioning [Syria] to a free market economy, which completely disregards what the consequences of these transformations will be for the people."

A representative of Syria's Ministry of Economy and Industry reported that none of the department's employees could comment on the situation or give an interview.

Undoubtedly, the Syrian leadership has managed to achieve certain important results.

International sanctions imposed under Bashar al-Assad were lifted, and the United States removed the country from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The security situation remains unstable and causes concern, but overall, the country has become calmer.

The president continues to consolidate his power: earlier this year, in particular, he regained control of the resource-rich northeast, displacing Kurdish formations from there. (Meanwhile, the Druze still control areas in the south, seeking to create an autonomous entity there, and Israel occupies part of the southwestern territories.)

However, it is too early to speak of a real economic recovery. Significant territories of Syria still lie in ruins after a war that claimed the lives of half a million people and forced half the population to leave their homes.

Many families, lacking funds for housing rent, are forced to huddle in partially destroyed buildings.

According to World Bank estimates, $216 billion will be needed to rebuild the country — without foreign aid and investment, it will be impossible for Syrians to rebuild it anew.

Syrian economist Samir Aita from the Paris-based think tank "Circle of Arab Economists" described the current crisis as "the result of a policy in which the authorities failed to shape realistic societal expectations, which only created unattainable hopes."

When asked how he assesses the future, Aita replied: "The situation is unstable. If the course does not change, I am afraid chaos awaits us."

Syrians, exhausted by years of war and practically deprived of choice, nevertheless continue to hope for the best.

Abu Mahmoud, a taxi driver, told the BBC: "The country was already bankrupt when they got it, so people need to be patient. Such things are not done in one day."

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