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DAMASCUS, Syria - The number of fuel vendors on the streets of Damascus has recently surged dramatically. They sell various types of benzene and kerosene, serving as an alternative to traditional oil stations.
The demand for the fuel they sell, mostly imported from Lebanon, is rising due to its perceived better quality.
A liter of benzene costs nearly 14,000 Syrian pounds, while a liter of kerosene is priced at 11,000.
"This is Lebanese benzene with 97-Octane. Its quality is very high. It has gained high demand by drivers, including public and private taxis. It is cheaper than the benzene that is sold in the oil stations since it is almost 97 percent free of impurities," Ali Ahmad, a vendor, told Rudaw.
Firas Abu Raqib has been transporting passengers for nearly 20 years. His car is his lifeline. However, he has spent the last four hours at a workshop repairing his car. He explains the difference between the quality of the fuel sold on the streets and that sold at the oil stations.
"If I put five liters of benzene into a gallon, 2 cm of dirt settles at the bottom, and this dirt goes into the vehicle's engine. I just bought a new fuel tank for 300,000 Syrian pounds, but it stopped working. Look at my hands. All of this is because of the impurities in the fuel," he said.
Most of the vehicles on the streets of Damascus are old, as sanctions imposed on the toppled regime prevented the import of new vehicles.
Reviving the country's oil sector and reducing fuel prices are essential for alleviating the burden on citizens and revitalizing the economy.
Firas Tawillah is a mechanic. He said most cars end up in his workshop because of bad quality fuel.
"Most of the cars that end up here break down because of bad benzene. The impurities are blocking the pipes and pumps in the cars. A while ago, there used to be water added to benzene and a chemical substance that eventually made the liquid inside look like benzene. Many broken cars end up here because of tampered fuel," he stated.
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