DAMASCUS (Reuters) – Syrian authorities have banned alcohol from restaurants and bars in Damascus, one of the clearest moves yet by the Islamist-led government towards enforcing conservative ways since Ahmed al-Sharaa toppled Bashar al-Assad 15 months ago.
The decree, issued by the Damascus governorate on Monday evening, requires that nightclub and bar licences be converted into café licences and restricts the sale of alcohol to sealed bottles for takeaway and only in predominantly Christian areas.
Any outlet selling alcohol must be located at least 75 metres (yards) away from places of worship and schools, and at least 20 metres (yards) from security facilities, according to the decree. It grants bar owners three months to comply.
One Damascus bar owner said he would close his establishment, saying he had been expecting such a decree for some time, noting a sharp decline in customers since the government seized power.
The bar owner, who declined to be identified for fear he could face harassment, said he saw no point in converting his establishment into a dry restaurant or cafe, adding that people didn’t come there for pizza or shisha.
Many restaurants had already changed the way they served alcohol or stopped doing so altogether after rebels led by Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander, defeated Assad in December 2024, after 13 years of civil war.
Some took beer and wine off the menu, or began serving alcoholic drinks in tea glasses.
