Minister: Military operations in Syria constitute financial burden on state

Azerbaijan, Baku, July 3 / Trend R.Hafizoglu / The on-going military operations in Syria constitute a significant financial burden on the state, the country's Energy Minister Imad Khamis said, Sana agency reported on Wednesday. According to him, the amount of taxes paid on electricity, which had previously covered the needs of the sector, fell by half as a result of the difficulties associated with collecting taxes in many regions of the country. The Syrian government continues to support the electricity sector, regardless of the difficulties faced by the country, Khamis said. Clashes between the government forces and the armed opposition have been on-going in Syria for over two years. According to UN statistics, the death toll in Syria exceeds 100,000, and millions of people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Syrian authorities say they oppose the well-armed militants. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az