The fuel shortage will end in two days, as soon as more petroleum products are pumped into the market and sold at subsidized prices, Minister of Supply and Social Affairs Mohamed Abu Zeid promised on Friday.

The ministry will ensure that prices are controlled and resources are fairly distributed, and also ensure that fuel is not being sold on the black market, Abu Zeid told the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper.

Committees have been established to monitor gas stations throughout the day and ensure that fuel isn’t smuggled out to the black market, the minister continued. Rumors that the state would end fuel subsidies are false, he added.

He said coupons for butane have already been distributed in many governorates in preparation for applying a new coupon system for selling butane cylinders.

The ongoing fuel shortage has escalated over the past two weeks, leading to the temporary closure of several filling stations and bakeries as well as severe traffic congestion in Cairo on Thursday.

Authorities say they have seized a significant quantity of fuel that smugglers had intended to sell on the black market.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm