Syrian Kurdish opposition protests fuel and food prices
The Kurdish National Council (KNC) organised protests on Friday across several cities in Rojava, the Syrian Kurdish region, amid increasing fuel prices and a worsening economic crisis.
Faisal Yusuf, member of the KNC, called for people to take to the streets outside the United Nations building in the city of Qamishlo during an appearance on TV station Kurdistan 24, on Thursday.
"There is a famine now, the people need aid. Today these decisions are being made to increase the price of fuel, from bread to transportation, everything is affected," the KNC said in a statement.
"The living situation of the people is getting worse day after day, because of the rapid and uncontrolled rise in prices of all materials necessary and essential for life, while the PYD (Democratic Union Party) installed itself as a de-facto authority is ignoring people’s anger and protests," the statement added.
According to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, protesters held signs saying: "No to arrests, freedom to prisoners", "No to rising fuel prices", "No imposing taxes on citizens" and "No to raising the price of bread".
The demands were not only made by the KNC but "a request of all people", said senior KNC leader Mohammed Ismail.
The de facto PYD-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria reversed a decision to increase fuel, petrol and gas prices in May after being met with public outcry and protests against the announcement.
However, the KNC has said that fuel prices have since gone up as well as the price of bread. The administration has said it's because of water scarcity and drought conditions in northeastern Syria that have destroyed crops and wheat production.
The KNC and PYD administration have been in several political disputes regarding similar issues and have previously been in talks prompted by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi last November. Talks are yet to continue.