Syria’s Opposition-led Govt. Bars Circulation of New 5,000 Lira Banknote

A Syrian official in Damascus holds the new banknote (EPA)
A Syrian official in Damascus holds the new banknote (EPA)
TT
20

Syria’s Opposition-led Govt. Bars Circulation of New 5,000 Lira Banknote

A Syrian official in Damascus holds the new banknote (EPA)
A Syrian official in Damascus holds the new banknote (EPA)

Demand for meats and some vegetable varieties has sharply dropped in northwestern regions of Syria, where refugee families scattered across camps are ailed by a crippling economic crisis, skyrocketing unemployment, poor humanitarian aid and a high population density.

The opposition-led Syrian Interim Government has officially barred the circulation of the new 5,000 lira banknote, the largest denomination in the country, issued by the Central Bank of Syria (CBS) in areas under its control.

It is noteworthy that opposition authorities had also prohibited the circulation of the smaller 2,000 lira bill which was floated in 2017.

Signed by the head of the opposition government, Abdulrahman Mustafa, the order to outlaw dealing with the fresh bill was based on recommendations made by the finance and economy minister.

The ban was also backed by a decision from the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

More so, the Syrian Interim Government has officially made the Turkish lira the currency of choice in areas under its control.

Switching to the Turkish lira has lead prices of basic goods in Idlib province and its countryside to rise.

Meanwhile, the exchange rate of the Syrian lira against Turkish lira reached 395, while the exchange rate of the Syrian lira against the US dollar reached 2,930.

“For more than 15 days, my children have not eaten vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini and potatoes, and meat has become just a dream for many displaced Syrian families in the displacement camps here,” an internally displaced refugee from the western countryside of Hama, who lives now in al-Khalifa camp in the town of Armanaz in northern Idlib countryside, told the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“We rely on the availability of certain materials such as cracked wheat, rice, lentils and chickpeas, which are usually found within the food baskets given out to families in this camp,” they explained.

“Everyone suffers poverty in general and only few can afford buying vegetables and meat for their home or tent,” they added, blaming unemployment and displacement for generating extreme poverty.

“There are many reasons for this situation that we are living in, the most important of which is the lack of job opportunities for young people and the displacement.”

“One meal for the average family may cost approximately 20 TL, equivalent to 7,000 Syrian liras,” the Observatory quoted the refugee as saying.



Lebanon to Seek US Guarantees in Response to Proposal

US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
TT
20

Lebanon to Seek US Guarantees in Response to Proposal

US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)

Lebanon plans to seek assurances from Washington on the implementation of any future deal involving Hezbollah’s disarmament, Lebanese political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat, ahead of a visit by US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack early next week.

The question of US guarantees tops Lebanon’s concerns, which are shared not only by Hezbollah but also by the Lebanese state, the sources said.

The issue is central to the discussions of a tripartite Lebanese committee that includes representatives of President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, meeting regularly at the presidential palace to draft a unified response to a US proposal.

In parallel, the Quintet group - comprising the US, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar - met at the US embassy in Beirut to discuss the situation, local media reported.

Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari was absent from the talks, reportedly due to travel.

According to the sources, Barrack’s visit is not solely to receive Lebanon’s response to the US proposal, but also to hold further consultations with the country’s top leaders.

The US paper outlines a phased plan prioritizing the disarmament of Hezbollah, delineation of Lebanon’s land border with Syria, and the implementation of long-delayed financial, economic, and administrative reforms.

“Lebanon views the proposal as the basis for negotiations, not a surrender document,” the sources said, noting that the primary demand to be raised will be related to binding US guarantees.

They cited the bitter experience that followed the previous ceasefire deal, after which Israel allegedly continued attacks, held on to five disputed points in southern Lebanon, and hindered the return of displaced residents—all while international aid for reconstruction failed to materialize.

“The committee is meeting almost daily,” one source said. “There is consensus on the need for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied points and an end to violations as a prerequisite for any deal. These are sovereign principles Lebanon will not abandon.”

Despite Hezbollah’s public resistance to disarmament, sources described the group’s current stance as “constructive.”

Hezbollah is said to be engaging in discussions through the state’s official channels, with party officials expressing concern over the absence of international guarantees and the risk of being sidelined politically once it gives up its arms.

“There are internal concerns that Hezbollah could be pushed out of political life, especially after talks around electoral law reforms,” one source said.

These fears are compounded by delays in international aid, reconstruction plans, and continued Israeli violations—issues that have persisted since the ceasefire in November.

On Wednesday night, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated the party’s rejection of “any threat of force or foreign meddling,” and insisted that Hezbollah would not “surrender land or weapons to the Israeli enemy” or compromise on its rights.

Qassem also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire more than 3,700 times, while the international community “watches silently, calling only for concessions.” He said Hezbollah would continue to resist, as it has done for decades.

A senior Hezbollah lawmaker said the group remains open to cooperating on strengthening the Lebanese state and restoring its authority across the country—provided Israel withdraws from disputed southern points and halts its ongoing violations.

MP Ali Fayyad, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, said the group “has consistently shown a positive willingness to cooperate in all matters related to state-building, institutional reform, and improving operational capacities to help achieve the desired stability.”

Speaking on Thursday, Fayyad added: “This includes supporting the state in extending its authority over all Lebanese territory and enabling it to carry out all its duties—chief among them the protection and defense of the people and sovereignty.” However, he warned, “None of this will be possible unless national efforts unite to achieve a key condition: Israel must withdraw from the five occupied positions it still holds, end its continued violations, and respect Lebanese sovereignty.”

Fayyad’s comments came amid a broader debate on the future of Hezbollah’s weapons and its role within the state.

Opposition lawmaker Fadi Karam from the Lebanese Forces party slammed Hezbollah’s rhetoric in a post on X.

Addressing Hezbollah’s Qassem, he wrote: “Your weapons have destroyed Lebanon and continue to give Israel an excuse to remain on our land. You’ve tied Lebanon to Iran. And now you claim that handing over your weapons to the Lebanese Army means handing them to Israel? That’s delusional and only exposes Lebanon to new wars.”

The statements reflect widening divisions over Hezbollah’s future role and the path toward national sovereignty and stability, as Lebanon grapples with US-led proposals aimed at de-escalating tensions and launching long-delayed reforms.