Harmoon Centre Monitoring Report (1-15 February 2025)Administrative and Governmental Monitoring

In this period, the New Syrian authorities were continuing to take over the reins of administrative governance and reset the foundations of public institutions that were managed by the Assad regime. In some cases, they are reactivating old institutions, and in others they are redefining their roles. To reduce excess spending, it has already terminated the contracts of around 280 workers and granted paid leave to 900 others in the Syrian Oil and Gas Company and the Oil Transport Company in Tartous Province.

When it comes to their efforts with Syria’s economic markets, the government has published a series of administrative decisions. They have committed to equalising prices across the country, from transportation costs to basic foodstuffs. They have declared a fines system when these rules are broken; 250 dollars for the first infringement, 400 for the second – and on the third time any enterprise commits an infringement they are fined 1000 dollars and threatened with the closure of their business.

As for public services, the directorates of civil affairs were reopened in the provinces of Hama, Tartous, Quneitra and Daraa to resume services which had remained closed for a period. Services included the production of civil documents, including family records, birth certificates and civil registration contracts. Plans are underway to resume the registration of all births, marriages, divorces and deaths in the coming period.

This month also saw a reconstitution of the Syrian Union movement and its institutions. The government issued a decision to re-establish the Syrian Journalists’ Union, based on Assad-era legislation – as the transitional legislative council is yet to be formed. The government also disbanded lawyer’s union bodies in several provinces – as they did in Aleppo – and reformed them in line with the new authorities’ vision. This also took place in the engineers’ union, and the formation of branch councils for nursing and medical workers’ unions. The boards of directors in farming unions were also re-appointed, as was the case in Daraa.

The Syrian government has also unfrozen several organisations at the level of civil society – most notably the Syrian Trust for Development. A number of key management appointments were made, including the renowned artist Maxim Khalil. The body was also renamed the Syrian Organisation for Development.

Looking to education, the new authorities have decided to reconsider their position and recognise universities established during the revolution after a wave of sustained protests took place in northern Syria. In addition, the government renamed schools across several Syrian provinces, to eradicate names associated with the Assad family and the regime. The Ministry of Education chose to allow students who left school between the academic years of 2010-2011 and 2024-2025 to re-enroll in technical colleges. Students will be able to finish their studies, starting from the second semester of this year until the first semester of the forthcoming academic year. The government also lifted sanctions imposed on students at the University of Aleppo by the Assad regime.

The new authorities are taking great pains to put administrative governance on an even footing, trying to control and acquire a gradual transition to the new realities of Syria. They are trying to work with the remains of the former regime, while opening new pathways. This is seen in their efforts to energise the Syrian marketplace, rebuild the institutions of unions and civil society, and determination to engage positively with popular objection with administrative decisions. They also continue to attract Syrian figures from outside prior administrative or security structures to contribute to civil society and union action.

Governance and Administration: Areas of Focus

Security and Military Monitoring

During the first half of February 2025, several provinces witnessed important developments. Security forces implemented intense activities to combat smuggling and secure the border with Lebanon, while also pursuing wanted persons involved in criminal activities.

In Damascus and the surrounding countryside, Security forces launched a campaign in the Tadamon neighbourhood, arresting several wanted figures. Clashes broke out along the Lebanese border with drug smugglers and elements of Hizbullah. 70 smugglers were arrested and 8 locations were destroyed. Meanwhile, a robbery in Mezzeh Villas sparked outrage among residents and an arms depot in Deir Ali (allegedly belonging to Hamas) was bombed by Israel.

In Daraa, authorities began a campaign to break up drug smuggling operations in the town of Jbab. Confrontations erupted in Izraa’ between security officials and local armed groups, culminating in the arrest of a local kidnapping group leaders. Former brigadier general Atef Najib was arrested in Latakia on charges related to the suppression of protests in Daraa in 2011.

In Quneitra, Israeli forces withdrew from the municipal building in the city of Salam after destroying it – while Syrian authorities established military posts to try and consolidate their control.

In Homs, more clashes broke out with Hezbollah fighters along the Syrian-Lebanese border, ending with the Syrian army taking control. Police launched a campaign to remove concrete barriers and improve security on the ground in the city.

In Hama, several figures were arrested for their ties to crimes committed during the Assad era, most notably Radwan al-Hajjar and Ahmad Yousef, both closely linked to General Suheil al-Hasan.

In Aleppo, an attempted car bombing was foiled in the city of al-Bab while the leader of a gang imposing illegal fines was arrested at the Aoun al-Dadat crossing.

In al-Hasakeh, Turkish forces struck villages in Tal Tamr with artillery shelling, while international coalition forces and the SDF carried out aerial campaigns that resulted in the killing and arrest of ISIS members. Security operations in Deir ez-Zor also targeted leaders of the ‘National Defence Militia’ and members involved in terrorist activities.

In Lattakia, protests ignited in Jableh against the release of individuals accused of torturing prisoners, while the security headquarters in the city of Latakia also came under armed attack.

These developments reflect the continued security challenges across Syria, amid intense efforts to strengthen stability and pursue wanted individuals across some of the most precarious provinces in the country.

Social and Political Monitoring

The first half of February 2025 bore witness to new political activity in Daraa, as seen when key elements of civil society convened a preparatory meeting in Hauran. The draft vision of a forum was presented, including several points on the formation of civil peace committees to solve disputes across the south. They also discussed support for wounded civilians and those with special needs, and the restructuring of unions and federations. The meeting also called for the rejection of Israeli intervention in both Daraa and Quneitra. In addition, it is noteworthy that increased political activity has spread out from Aleppo and Damascus to other governorates over time, after originally centring around both major cities in the weeks following Assad’s fall.

The most significant civil society action was the open sit-in organised by students at the Media faculty in Damascus, calling for the dismissal of Dr. Nahla al-Issa from the university. Protestors chanted slogans against al-Issa, citing her support for the Assad regime and how she passed on information about university students to authorities. The protest ultimately led to al-Issa’s dismissal. In Aleppo city a meeting of Turkmen communities was also established, which called in its closing statement for the necessity to write a Syrian constitution that protects all identities in the social fabric of Syria.

On the level of political and individual freedoms, Syrians remain able to express their political sentiments freely without any interference, and the pace of issuing licences to civil society institutions has only increased. There has been a noticeable increase in political activity across the spectrum and engagement with current events across the country – as seen in the Syrian Future Movement which has published a statement in solidarity with Syrian prisoners in Lebanon, calling for their release.

The return of displaced people to their cities and villages has also been monitored, as well as refugees returning from Jordan heading for Daraa. The government has not published official numbers of those who have returned until now.

Turning to the internal political scene, the preparatory council for the National Dialogue Forum was composed – and includes two women, Hind Qabawat and Huda al-Atassi, alongside five men; Maher Aloush, Hussein al-Daghim, Mohammed Musattat, Mustafa Mousa and Yusuf al-Hajr. The council held dialogue meetings with Syrians across the country, though a shadow was cast by the lack of particular criteria for selecting attendees to the sessions themselves.

In the context of international relations, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani took part in the Munich Security Conference – and spoke at a dialogue session entitled “A New Dawn in Damascus: Horizons of the Transitional Period in Syria”. Discussions centred around the Syrian state’s vision for transition, and the next steps to be taken for governance and the economy. Several meetings were held by the Syrian delegation on the sidelines of the conference, including with foreign ministers from Britain, Turkey and Germany.

The meeting in Munich was held after the Paris Conference for Syria, and its final statement recognised the current government and expressed economic support to overcome the current phase. The conference stressed the need to keep working towards a comprehensive and credible political process, the lifting of sanctions on Syria and a cessation of all armed hostilities. The US delegation did not, however, sign the final statement – indicating that Washington’s vision for Syria is not yet fully formed. On the sidelines of the conference, Minister al-Shaibani met with the President of Iraqi Kurdistan, as well as Foreign Ministers from Jordan and Canada.

Monitoring the Provision of Essential Services

The Syrian Electricity Minister has clarified that the collective capacity of the Syrian power grid amounts to 4000 megawatts, but the real output current does not exceed 1300 megawatts due to a lack of fuel. He has pointed out that the government is seeking to protect and guarantee the provision of between 8-10 hours of electricity per day in the short term. In a related development, a tanker carrying 4600 tons of household gas arrived in Syria earlier this month, without the government news agency SANA revealing its source.

Meanwhile, the agency announced the completion of maintenance work on the gas plant in Latakia, which has contributed to increasing its production capacity from 700 to 1,100 cylinders per hour. The industrial zone in Daraa, however, is suffering from a reduction in the number of hours in energy supply to around three hours per day – having a significant impact on production in the region.

This situation reflects a weakness in Syria’s electricity infrastructure, and sums up the effect of the power grid crisis on industrial sectors that form an essential part of Syria’s economic life. It may compound Syria’s faltering productivity and negatively impact job opportunities, if sustainable solutions are not found.

As for other basic services, many of the country’s regions were still suffering from a lack of water during this period. Water often only reaches houses on certain days, and sometimes remains cut off for long periods due to breakdowns in the network. Residents are forced to buy water in containers at inflated prices reaching 40,000 Lira for a five-barrel tank, compounding the economic burdens on families with limited means. The water supply infrastructure is clearly still in crisis. In addition, the streets of Damascus and surrounding countryside are also suffering under a build-up of rubbish, as daily collections have been forced to stop due to a lack in sufficient workforce – which is having a significant impact on the local environment.

In general, these developments show that Syrians still face significant economic challenges and gaps in the provision of basic services. The options open to the new government are limited in scope as they attempt to improve living conditions, in light of the state institutions left weakened by the former regime.

However, under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, chambers of industry in Aleppo and Damascus organise a landmark exhibition at the Damascus Fairgrounds to highlight economic life entitled ‘Khan al-Harir’. The exhibition focused on Syria’s textile industry, alongside other economic activities to support the industry’s needs and open new markets both locally and internationally. This comes at a time when local markets for second-hand clothes are booming due to their lower prices than new garments, and many clothing factories across the province of Damascus have been forced to close.

The government is yet to implement the rise in wages it announced after the fall of the regime, and neither has it published any news of its progress. The sole related announcement was the Central Bank’s confirmation that approximately 300 billion Syrian Lira arrived from Russia – an amount that appears insufficient to meet the growing economic challenges.

Meanwhile, the value of the Lira continued to fluctuate significantly, with the US dollar exchange rate reaching 8,000 Lira to the dollar (though economic experts indicate this may only be temporary). The Syrian Central Exchange published a decision to allow licensed banks to work on foreign exchanges, in order to allow commercial and non-commercial trades to take place using their own funds. This will assist in transfers for humanitarian organisations, UN bodies and personal transactions, and is an attempt to attract an increase in foreign currency in local markets.

However, private banks continued to impose a daily withdrawal limit of 250,00 Lira – an insufficient amount to meet basic living standards. During this period, the head of the Syrian Investment Authority also stressed that Western sanctions on the financial sector continue to hinder vital investments in Syria.

The outlook for regional economic relations saw signs of improvement as Türkiye and Jordan made new announcements to ease trade with Syria. Restriction on imports to Türkiye were lifted, while levies on trucks crossing into Jordan were also deferred; both countries are clearly indicating an openness to stronger trading relationships with Syria. The Turkish Minister for Trade also announced a new special permit for workers from Syria, in order to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.

Turkish imports into Syria from 267,000 tonnes in 2023 to 326,000 tonnes in 2024 – and rose 41% in the month of December alone compared to the previous year. Imports are expected to reach 400,000 tonnes in the current year. This increase reflects Syria’s dependence on imported goods, even for basic items, and an inability to stimulate local production in the food industry – most significantly in light of continued crises in the farming sector.

At a commercial level, Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Ports concluded a new contract with the French company CMA CGM – which operates the container terminal in the port of Latakia. This same company had already renewed its contract with the former regime on October 29, in 2024. The continued cooperation with this company shows that the government is committed to securing long-term international partners, strengthening trade relations and finding solutions to Syria’s worsening economic crises.

Food Prices Across Syria (USD)

Item	Damascus	Aleppo	Homs	Tartous	Daraa
Tomatoes	0.30	0.40	0.40	0.36	0.4
Onions	0.41	0.40	0.36	0.36	0.6
Potatoes	0.25	0.20	0.25	0.27	0.2
Eggs	2.57	2.75	2.80	2.63	3
Bread/kg	0.34	0.34	0.33	0.30	0.33
Sugar	0.82	0.71	0.71	0.72	0.65
Tea	7.7	9.69	10.25	9.09	1.2
Rice	1.03	0.91	1	0.81	1.2
Meat	10.3	12.7	10.5	8.63	7
Chicken	2.57	3.7	2.7	2.63	2.7
Olive oil	5.2	5.6	5.1	3.45	4.5
Vegetable oil	1.64	1.53	1.65	1.54	1.4

Fuel and building material prices (USD)

Item	Damascus	Aleppo	Homs	Tartous	Daraa
Iron/tonne	0	642	655	600	700
Cement/tonne	0	163	125	109.09	100
Diesel	0.97	1.02	1.1	0.97	1
Petrol	1.13	1.17	1.2	1.13	1.1
Domestic gas	16.49	17.85	12.5	14.54	18