Syrian pound soars as regime nears Ghouta takeover

The Syrian pound has appreciated around 10 percent against the US dollar in recent days, as rebel fighters quit their final stronghold of Eastern Ghouta on the edges of the capital. The unofficial exchange rate in the capital was at 430 Syrian pounds per dollar on Wednesday, compared with 460 pounds the previous week. When Syria's conflict first erupted in 2011, the currency was valued at 48 Syrian pounds per dollar but it has depreciated dramatically since then.