New alcohol taxes and restrictions spark discontent in northeast Syria
Higher taxes and tighter rules on alcohol imposed by Syria's Islamist authorities have driven up prices and limited supply in Qamishli, leaving customers and bar owners unhappy.
After the Islamist government assumed control in 2024, it enacted heavy taxes and tighter regulations on alcohol, stopping official imports through the Semalka border crossing and tightening airport controls. Traders like Ayaz Ibrahim in Qamishli report that smuggled liquor now dominates the market, pushing the price of a half-litre of whisky from $7 to $12 and leaving shelves largely empty. Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh defended the policy as a health measure and a source of revenue for health and social programs.
Customers and bar staff, including Karl Hussein and Shuaib Hamdi, say the higher costs have drastically cut their outings and reduced business, with many bars seeing only a handful of patrons each month. Locally produced alcohol is not seen as a viable substitute, and owners fear that sustained restrictions could close their shops altogether.
Why it matters
The policy raises living costs and threatens small businesses in a volatile region.
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