It's not only fighting itself that makes war-torn countries like Syria hard to survive, it's also the availability of basic necessities.
Turns out, regardless of who's in charge, even affordable bread is never really guaranteed. In 33 months, the average price of a 1kg bag has shot up a whopping 500 percent.
A report this week by Syria Direct looked at how much that cost varies from across Syria. Prices varied widely across the country, coinciding with both years of intermittent beseigement and control swaps among warring groups.
One key shootup is in southern Syria's Daraa. The cradle of the revolution back in 2011, Daraa has been under fierce bombardment of government shelling since the beginning. Rebels taking control of much of the province means government airstrikes still rain down, and average bread prices have soared to 200 Syrian pounds (sp) per kilogram, the equivalent of about $1 USD. That's double what it is in government-held Damascus.
It jumps even higher in areas across the Damascus countryside like Ghouta — under unyielding government beseigement for years — that price goes up to 800 SP, or $4.16. And in Deir Ezzor, where govenrment forces split territory with Daesh (ISIS), people are looking at 3500 SP, $18.64.
In a report by Syria Deeply from November 2014, Syrian residents estimated they needed 4,700 a month for food. If this is still the case, residents in Deir Ezzor, more than half of that is going to a single kilgram of bread.
Have a look at Syria Direct's map below. Via Twitter.
Bread prices in #syria via @SyriaDirect. It was 5-15 pounds. 500 was a meal. 3500? 1/3-1/2 monthly rent in #Damascus. pic.twitter.com/LNvt8lU31y
— Jessica L. Radin (@jlr_) August 19, 2015
