Four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the vaults of the Central Bank of Syria still contain around 26 tonnes of gold, the same level as in 2011, at the start of the civil war. This situation remains unchanged, even after the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad.
However, the same sources specified that Damascus faces a critical shortage of foreign currency reserves, considerably limiting its ability to support the national economy, already weakened by more than a decade of conflict.
The stability of gold reserves contrasts with the general deterioration of Syrian economic indicators, including the collapse of the local currency and galloping inflation. According to analysts, these 26 tons of gold represent one of the few strategic assets still available to the Syrian regime, although their mobilization remains complicated due to international sanctions.
