Key Points

Six months after Syria's new authorities assumed power, many residents say the country has barely begun its journey toward economic recovery. With prices volatile and purchasing power weak, Syrians are banking on patience rather than prosperity this holiday season.

"Frankly, the situation needs more time and patience," said Firas Edam, a man in his 40s browsing for groceries in the Old City. "We hope for the best. But we're waiting for real movement in the country."

Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's most sacred holidays, is typically marked by feasting, family gatherings, and bustling markets. In previous years, shoppers crowded the streets to buy meat, sweets, and new clothes. This year, despite relative security in the capital, merchants say one thing is clearly missing: spending.

"There's some activity, but it's nowhere near what it should be," said Abu Jawad, a clothing shop owner. "People feel safer, and there's some optimism -- but the economy hasn't caught up. Still, we're hopeful that things will turn around."

Others offered blunter assessments.

"People who say things are going well speak only from their own comfort," Abu Khaled Khattab, 60, hawking souvenirs and household goods in al-Midan told Xinhua news agency. Sipping tea, he noted that prosperity remains relative, defined largely by one's bank account.

"They have cars and can afford sweets costing 500,000 liras (around 56 US dollars), but for the rest of us, things are difficult. Look around: these are Eid streets in al-Midan, and they're empty," he said.

Since morning, he had sold no more than 10,000 liras' worth of merchandise, not enough to buy a pack of cigarettes. "I'm not complaining," he said. "Just telling you what I see."

Abu Khaled's frustration echoes across the city. In Damascus, traffic congestion creates an illusion of vitality, but the deep scars left by years of Western sanctions -- particularly on the most vulnerable -- remain unhealed. Families may wander through the markets, but few are reaching into their wallets.

The economic revival many had hoped for -- spurred by the easing of sanctions -- has yet to materialise. Restrictions have only recently begun to lift, and reconstruction progresses slowly. Officials speak of reform and foreign investment, but for ordinary Syrians, progress is measured in small, tangible ways: a few kilograms of rice, a few liters of fuel, a few more hours of electricity.

As night falls over Damascus, vendors begin to pack up -- not with the satisfaction of a good day's trade, but with quiet resignation.

"Everything we hear is just wishes," one merchant said. "On the ground, the situation tells us we still need patience."

- IANS