Exclusive – RBSS
The expression of starvation has been linked to the Syrian regime, which besieges several areas of Damascus and its countryside all the way to Homs and some parts of Deir ElZor, but there is another kind of starvation practiced by ISIS to become a partner with the regime.
The areas under the control of ISIS are characterized by easy move among them being open to each other, where the trade caravans moving goods without any risk, but ISIS is playing a dirty role depends on starvation of the people despite that markets are full with everything they need.
Rising prices of foodstuffs in Raqqa city markets linked to the collapse of the Syrian currency against the dollar, in addition to other reasons, including the taxes imposed by the regulation on the movement of food supplies from the tax, which (wayfarer), every vehicle carrying food entering control areas pay a certain tax, according to the volume of material and its price which contributes to higher prices, as well as taxes imposed on traders which carves them a reason to raise the prices of food in the markets because of the large costs they bear, along with the withdrawal of material from Raqqa markets towards the areas under ISIS control in Iraq by traders follow ISIS.
In addition, the monopoly of traders linked ISIS of some food and have blind eye of ISIS of financial control for the size of the profit, as it were traders from relatives or members are imposing new prices of basic materials and barring their competitors through the Economic Bureau at the point 11 of ISIS, which gathered traders and impose royalties to allow them to work under penalty of confiscation of all their property.
All these factors led to a rise in prices of basic materials in Raqqa to become out the majority of the people’s ability, despite the presence in the shops, which is studied will by ISIS and the aims through it is to force people to join ISIS and to engage in its ranks to have a living, either be one of the members of ISIS and enjoy the blessings or to try to find a place in relief restaurants.
According to rough statistics, the monthly cost includes all basic materials for a family of five individuals up to 25,500 Syrian pounds, equivalent salary of a government employee, price of the bread 13,500 and the water one thousand and electricity 11,000 ,without calculating phone expenses and other, but 80% of Raqqa employee s denied from salaries and that 20% of families lost breadwinners in the light of the high unemployment rate to its highest level, which means that those with the income to cover the expenses to the minimum are 40% of the population of the province, which is warranted to find half of the furniture of civilians homes may be sold to get a living.
