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Abu Fares, a 77-year-old, waits exhausted outside a bank in Damascus for his pension amid a liquidity crisis following the overthrow of President Assad, which has left 90% of Syrians in poverty. Long queues, under-stocked ATMs, and strict withdrawal limits of about 200,000 Syrian pounds, equivalent to $20, force many to spend days just to access meager sums, complicating daily life for civil servants. The local currency has plummeted since the civil war, and cash shortages are exacerbated by market manipulations, leaving citizens increasingly frustrated with their financial struggles.
