The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has announced that it will start to sell subsidized, reduced-priced tea, sugar, rice, oil, baby formula and other essentials.

It's an unprecedented step, taken in response to the worsening financial crisis in Syria.

Though it has long distributed price-controlled bread and diesel, the Administration has previously been reluctant to interfere in the market economics of North and East Syria.
It will now play a more active role. New inspections will also target price-fixing in the markets.

Ahbid al-Mibash, co-chair of the highest council of the Autonomous Administration, said:

"These essentials will be distributed among the people at a reasonable price, with support from the Administration. There will be no change in the price of bread, oil, or vehicles."

The first such center distributing reduced-priced essentials has already opened in Kobane. Kobane is particularly badly affected by the economic crisis, since the arterial M4 road connecting it to the rest of North and East Syria has been severed by the Turkish invasion.