MOSUL, Iraq, March 27 (UPI) -- The Iraq fuels commission tasked with providing fuel to the north of the country said the city of Mosul is paralyzed by a shortage.
Syria suspended fuel shipments March 22, which compounded the already heightened shortage brought about by war, smuggling, insurgent attacks and lack of refining capacity.
Iraq has 115 billion barrels of proven crude reserves, the third-largest in the world, but citizens lack transportation, cooking and heating fuels.
"We now receive less than 10 percent of the province's fuel needs," the commission said in a statement. It added that residents could access 4 percent of gasoline needs and 2 percent of its cooking fuel demand, the Iraqi newspaper Azzaman reports.
The commission attributed the problems to the below capacity refineries in Baiji and a lack of inventories to process.
The commission said the fuel shortage is having residual effects. Grain delivery has stopped, food rations are lacking and "even hospitals are suffering. Water and sewage systems are bearing the brunt."
