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First Syrian Banknotes Featuring President Assad

First Syrian Banknotes Featuring President Assad
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For first time ever, Syria has introduced a banknote with the face of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

First Syrian Banknotes Featuring President Assad

The 2,000 Syrian Lira [$3.9] bill went into circulation on Sunday, according to a statement released by the country's central bank.

This is the first time that Assad's face has been featured on the country's currency since he came to power some 17 years ago.

The move comes at a time when Syrian forces had been making sweeping gains against different foreign-backed terrorist groups which have been wreaking havoc in Syria since 2011.

Duraid Durgham, the Syrian central bank governor, said the new notes go into circulation "due to the wear and tear" affecting current notes in circulation.

He added that the new notes were put into circulation "in Damascus and a number of the provinces."

The currency previously only carried images of historic icons or pictures of his father, the late President Hafez al-Assad, who appeared on coins and on an older version of the 1,000-pound note still in circulation.

Syria's currency had plunged in value since the country's conflict began in 2011. Trading at 47 pounds to the dollar in 2011, it is going for 517 pounds to the dollar at present.

Inflation had also soared, reaching an all-time high in 2013, at over 120 percent. Estimates in 2016 put the inflation rate at 50 percent.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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