ALEPPO, Syria — The local councils of the Syrian opposition-held Euphrates Shield area in the countryside of Aleppo have set up more service facilities for locals in a bid to bring stability to the area. The efforts have direct support from the Turkish government, which has been paying the salaries of employees working in the public services sector, which has been growing rapidly.

On Aug. 28, the Local Council of al-Bab set up a station for the filling of gas cylinders to provide fuel for the residents of the area. Each cylinder sells for 4,500 Syrian pounds, which is equivalent to $8.

“The local council contracted with a Turkish company. The company set up a plant for the refilling of gas cylinders in the city of al-Bab. Gas is brought to the city from Turkey in special tanks through the border crossing in the countryside of Aleppo. The plant is equipped with the latest technologies, as well as with safety equipment such as an alarm system and fire extinguishers,” plant manager Osama Tamro told Al-Monitor. 

“The plant’s daily production is about 3,500 cylinders, weighing 24 kilograms each. It has 12 experienced workers and is supervised by the local council in the al-Bab city. The council pays their salaries and handles the income as well,” Tamro added.