Residents of areas of northern Syria controlled by Tahrir al-Sham are smarting as a result of a surge in the price of produce, bread and fuel brought about by the actions of the extremist alliance, a local activist said.

In addition to raising the taxes it imposes, Tahrir al-Sham has been allowing the sale of crops to regime-controlled areas, which has created a shortage and thus caused prices to soar, Idlib activist Haisam al-Idlibi told Diyaruna.

After seizing control of all the crossings in northern Syria, Tahrir al-Sham increased the amount of taxes imposed on goods, al-Idlibi said.

"It also raised the taxes imposed on shops and added new ones under different names, which caused prices to skyrocket beyond the purchasing power of most Idlib, Hama and Aleppo residents," he said.

Tahrir al-Sham has begun to facilitate trade with regime-controlled areas, especially in the areas of Murak and al-Mansoura crossings, he said.

This means exported goods and imported goods are now subjected to dual taxes, imposed by both Tahrir al-Sham and the regime, he said, which has led to a sharp increase in prices.

An additional consequence of these actions is that vegetables and fruits are being trucked out of northern Syria and into regime-controlled areas, creating an acute shortage of these items, he said.

Prices have doubled in recent weeks, he added, noting that the increases also apply to all kinds of fuel, which Tahrir al-Sham controls through its Watad Petroleum Company.

The rise in prices has led to deep public resentment, he said, with huge demonstrations held in Kafr Takharim after Tahrir al-Sham seized control of all the city's bakeries and the price of a bundle of bread increased by .50 Syrian pounds ($0.10).

The protests forced the extremist alliance to backtrack on its decision in the city, al-Idlibi said, but it proceeded to implement it in the other areas under its control, where it has confiscated flour and now controls its price.