Turkey, Qatar Sending Two Power Ships To Syria, Says Official

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Syria’s electricity chief said Tuesday that two power ships were being sent from Turkey and Qatar to increase supply after the United States eased sanctions following Bashar al-Assad’s fall.

More than 13 years of civil war hammered Syria’s infrastructure, including power stations and energy pipelines, leading to power outages that can drag on for more than 20 hours a day.

The United States said Monday it would allow fuel and electricity donations to Syria for six months to ease access to basic services after Islamist-led rebels ousted Assad last month.

Khaled Abu Dayy, head of the national electricity company, told state news agency SANA that “two power generating ships from Turkey and Qatar are heading to Syria”.

They would generate “800 megawatts, which is equivalent to half of what is being produced at the moment”, he said.

“Work is ongoing to secure power lines to transport the electricity from the docking location of the two ships,” Abu Dayy added, without stating where that would be.

Both Qatar and Turkey, which backed the anti-Assad opposition, reopened their embassies in Damascus in the aftermath of Assad’s flight to Moscow.

Turkey has long maintained a working relationship with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels who spearheaded the offensive against Assad, giving it a direct line to Damascus.

A delegation from Turkey’s energy ministry visited the Syrian capital in late December.

Turkey is home to nearly three million refugees who fled Syria after the start of the civil war in 2011, and Assad’s overthrow has raised hopes that many will go back.

The transitional government in Damascus has been lobbying to have sanctions lifted, but the international community has proven hesitant.

Many countries — including the United States — have said they are waiting to see how the new authorities exercise their power before lifting restrictions.

Syria’s civil war has killed more than half a million people and ravaged the country’s economy.

In 2021, Economy Minister Samer al-Khalil said energy sector losses since 2011 amounted to around “$100 billion in direct and indirect damages”.

bur-lar-ah/smw