In his workshop near the Syrian capital, Ghassan Aama is at a loss following a recent decision to massively hike electricity prices, even as much of the country continues to face extensive outages.

Last month, the energy ministry raised prices by at least 60 times compared to the previous tariff, sending shockwaves through a population already reeling from decades of sanctions and 14 years of war.

"We were surprised to see electricity prices rise, as our income is limited," said Aama, a blacksmith.

"If the bills are high, we might not be able to make ends meet," he added.

Aama already pays a subscription to a private generator so he can run his workshop -- a common practice in the country's whose electricity sector has been ravaged by the civil war, with power cuts reaching up to 20 hours a day.

"We are coming out of a war, and our........

© Al Monitor