Due to to extreme shortages of wheat, the #Syria-n govt. is currently relying on the dysfunctional Smart Cards to limit the distribution of subsidised bread. Which sparked an anti-government FB campaign amongst loyalists using a hashtag #الخبزـخطـأحمر (Bread is a red line).

These 'Smart' Cards only apply to registered families with the "family notebook" provided by the govt. Singles, students, unregistered marriages especially for families who were living in opposition areas, are not eligible to get the cards.

Takamul, the private company which is responsible to issue these cards has closed their offices indefinitely. Leaving a significant number of #Syria-s with no choice but to buy an unaffordable expensive "tourist bread" whose prices were doubled, from 200 SYP to 550 SYP (~0.4$).

Set Zeinab for instance, a strong popular base for the regime in the suburbs of #Damascus with a majority of low-income families, has 9k registered families with Smart Cards, with only 4k available bread bulks.

Residents of that area are posting appeals to the ‘Master of the Homeland’ on their FB, asking him to intervene. They are threatening the government with a “Revolution of the Hungry ” and threatening to ‘eat the govt. officials alive’.

The distribution of subsidised bread using Smart Cards sparked contradictory statements from #Syria's gov't officials. Yesterday, the Deputy Minister of Internal Trade said that the cancellation of these cards are rumours and the distribution of bread will continue using them

However, today the Minister of Internal Trade said that the distribution would include 'certified sellers' without the need of Smart Cards. and Takamul, which owned by a patronage network close to Asmaa al-Assad, is dissolved and the Ministry of Communication will take over.