Prior to his dismissal: Mohammad Al-Jassem Abu Amsha… a kingdom of crime, robbery and looting in Syria

Yamen Al Khaled – Aleppo / Aso News Network
Translated by : Hejar Abbo
(This report was prepared before the decision to dismiss Mohammad Al-Jassem “Abu Amsha” from his position, and in its preparation we relied on documented information and facts surrounding the behavior, practices and nature of the factions loyal to the Turkish occupation in the occupied areas under its control).

The faction of “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division” loyal to the Turkish occupation, and one of the forces striking for Turkey in occupying lands in Syria, is known as one of the most prominent factions that extends its influence within the areas of the northern countryside of Aleppo. His recent dismissal is one of the military leaders closest to the Turkish occupation authorities, as he used his faction members as mercenaries to fight in Azerbaijan and Libya. They also contributed to the demographic change taking place in the northern countryside of Aleppo.

The faction’s mercinaries actions
The matter did not stop at the fact that the “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division” faction sent its members as mercenaries to fight in Azerbaijan and Libya, but the faction’s leader (Abu Amsha) deliberately stole the salaries of about 1,000 members among the mercenaries who headed to Libya and Azerbaijan, after promising them attractive salaries.

“Ibrahim Al-Ahmad,” a pseudonym for one of the defected members of the Suleiman Shah faction, who preferred not to reveal his name for fear of his life, says that he participated with Syrian mercenaries to fight in Libya and Azerbaijan: “We went to Azerbaijan in October of 2020, Accompanied by more than 200 members representing the “Syrian National Army,” we were transferred to Turkey via (Bab al-Salama crossing) by trucks, and specifically to Gaziantep region, from which we were transferred via a civilian plane to Istanbul Airport, and then we headed by a military cargo plane to Azerbaijan).

He adds that in Azerbaijan, successive batches began arriving, the number reached about 1,500 members of the “Suleiman Shah” faction, and the faction participated in the battles for two months, with promises from the leadership, including Abu Amsha, to obtain an amount of (2000) US dollars for one month. Al-Ahmad must exchange the amount of (4000) US dollars for “the mercenary action committed for two months in Azerbaijan, he only got half.”

Al-Ahmad accuses the faction leader, Abu Amsha, of stealing the funds allocated to the participating factions on the Turkish side in Libya and Azerbaijan.

The mercenaries’ demands for their money were of no avail
After the elements returned from Azerbaijan, they began to demand their salaries, but in fact they did not receive their reward, nor did they get what they see as their rights, because of the influence that the faction leader Mohammad al-Jassem” (Abu Amsha) had.

Ibrahim Al-Ahmad says that after his return, he learned that he was not the only one who had been defrauded, but that the payment processes affected more than a thousand members of the faction. “The faction and all its leaders have evaded paying the rest of the agreed financial dues.” While confirming the participation of many factions of the “National Army” loyal to the Turkish occupation in the fighting in Libya and then Azerbaijan, the most prominent of those who encountered them there are “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division”, “Sultan Murad Division”, “Al-Jabha Shamiya” and “Al-Hamzat Division”.

Corruption pursues Suleiman Shah’s faction
Suleiman Shah faction was famous for its oppressive and arbitrary practices, in Afrin in general and within the areas occupied by it in Sheikh Hadid / Shiyeh district, where many corruption cases have emerged and unfolded in the recent period such as killing, torture, confiscation of property and imposing royalties, where part of these violations raised a relative of the alleged “Abu Amsha” in a video recording in which he talked about many stories and events related to the faction’s corruption, and “Abdul Ghafour Al-Omar”, who is the husband of “Abu Amsha’s” daughter, appeared in the video recording that was circulated on social media. Including his arrest and imprisonment and then demanded a ransom estimated at more than one million US dollars

Al-Omar also spoke about Abu Amsha’s involvement in the killing of four Kurdish members of his faction inside the prison cellars, without any reason. As the Turkish authorities heard that, Abu Amsha’s brother called ( Saif) headed to there and buried them in a massive grave far away from Sheikh Hadid / Shiyeh area. He also talked about the involvement of “Abu Amsha” and his faction in the killing of two prominent leaders within the faction, “Hazem Zeno” and “Zuhair Omnia” after their arrest and torture in the basements of secret prisons.

He also pointed to the thefts of olive seasons and the imposition of large royalties on farmers, describing the security reality inside the faction’s stronghold as frightening and it governs civilians by force of arms and under intimidation and threat.

The heinous acts of the factions embarrass the Turkish occupation
Many of the files and cases of corruption and violations committed by the “Syrian National Army” factions have reached the point of categorizing them within the lists of terrorism, and the focus of international institutions and organizations on the violations carried out by the Turkish-backed factions, which has caused in recent periods, a situation of congestion that began to appear from the settlers By virtue of the fact that they have authority and factions that defend them, unlike the people of Afrin, who are difficult to find someone to defend them, so they are the weakest link.

The actions of the factions and the prosecution of their violations, greatly embarrassed Turkey, so the latter dismissed Abu Amsha by the Grievances Committee in Afrin, and this came after a request to form a military court under the name of the “Grievances Response Committee” to look into corruption cases against “Abu Amsha” with the aim of calming the street And not to inflame international public opinion against Turkey, which is a strong supporter of this faction. The court was formed and consisted of a number of legal and military personnel. It began its work in interrogating the leaders of “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division” faction. The committee included Wael Qasoum, Muwaffaq Al-Omar and Abd al-Alim al-Abdullah and Ahmad Alwan, all of whom are legitimate, belong to what is known as the “Syrian Islamic Council,” the latter backed by Turkey and issued fatwas requiring Turkey to occupy Syrian lands.

Corrupt is trialed by corrupts
On December 19 of last year 2021, the so-called “Abu Amsha” handed over his brother, nicknamed “Saif al-Amsha” and sat for the trial for several hours without reaching any result from this session, however, “Abu Amsha” dismissed his brother from his position as a military commander within The faction was replaced by another leader named “Hossam Abboud”, who is the brother of the founder of the “Ahrar al-Sham Islamic Movement” Hassan Abboud.

After rounds of give-and-take and investigation sessions that seemed fictitious and formal, on February 5, the so-called “Abu Amsha” appeared before the Committee to Responsive Grievances to investigate him after he had taken many measures that contributed greatly to his extrication from the trial, and the trial resulted in He was dismissed in mid-February.

According to local sources, the role of “Abu Amsha” has ended, so Turkey has instructed the need to formally hold him accountable, but in fact the one who was assigned to hold Abu Amsha accountable because of corruption is a committee that also works under Turkey’s command. That is, its role is not different from that of “Abu Amsha” in the occupation and the management of Turkey’s interests.

According to what local sources reported to Aso News Network, the trial session of “Abu Amsha” took place in a closed base in the occupied city of Afrin, by the factions loyal to the Turkish occupation. Among them was a leader in the “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya” faction called “Abu Omar” from the town of Qalaat al-Madiq in the western Hama countryside, and the leader of the “Sultan Murad Division” faction called “Fahim al-Issa.” The court session lasted for about five hours.Without any declaration of the outputs or prof any of the cases that were raised in the media, and “Abu Amsha” left after the session, returning to his area of ​​influence in Sheikh Hadid / Shiyeh district without being tried, before the news of his dismissal was published on February 16, 2022.

The sources add about the trial of Abu Amsha, that the atmosphere that prevailed in the trial of “Abu Amsha” and his faction was not due to his innocence of the crimes committed, but rather came as a result of his seeking to gain the approval of the members of the committee and some military leaders and clan dignitaries by giving them large sums of money to stand by him, and not implicate him. With these charges, which would have destabilized his faction or reduced his role in the region.

The sources of Aso News Network confirmed that Abu Amsha, since the beginning of the committee’s work, has sought to attract loyalists to him and stand by him by giving them money and gifts, including providing an amount estimated at more than 30 thousand dollars to the committee’s spokesman, “Wael Qassoum” under the pretext of helping the court and providing it with support. He also donated a car to a leader of the “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya ” faction of the “Sportage” type, valued at about eight thousand US dollars, and another car for the leader of “Sultan Murad Division” faction, Fahim Issa. He also attracted dozens of young tribesmen from the countryside of Hama to stand in on his side, he gave them money and weapons and received them in Sheikh Hadid / Shiyeh district, and he released another leader of the “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya” faction from prison after the faction imprisoned him on the grounds of accusing him of embezzlement, where he paid a large sum of money and took him out on bail.

In his testimony to Aso News Network, “Faisal Awad”, a journalist who resides in Idlib, said: It is difficult for the factions loyal to the Turkish occupation to end Abu Amsha faction, even if the role of Mohammad Al-Jassem is ended, the faction will remain, because the apparent opposite is the inner, there is a Turkish support and agreement with the faction to a large extent, and all this news that was published about his trial is only to prove that Turkey and its factions are seeking to eliminate corruption despite the major violations that occur in the areas under the control of the factions loyal to the Turkish occupation, and there is nothing wrong with “Abu Amsha” being sacrificed, but the faction stayed!

Some believe that Abu Amsha may be satisfied by not being held accountable, or if the files against him are huge, Turkey may sacrifice him, and this is not its habit. Turkey has not yet sacrificed the Ahrar al-Sharqiya faction and its leader Abu Hatem Shaqra after classifying the faction on terrorist lists.

It was known about “Abu Amsha” that he is a dictatorial and strict person in his treatment even with members and leaders of his faction, and it is known from his area of ​​influence that civilians in it are governed by iron and fire, and none of them dares to stand up to him, and he has appeared in many videos and news that talk about his supervision of violations against civilians, and his ability to remove the accusations against him of threatening the people, as he was able to force a woman who accused him of harassment and rape to retract her words, as some observers said that Abu Amsha forced her to do so.

Factions that serve Turkey, not Syria
An activist from the countryside of Idlib says that the factions of the “Syrian National Army” are now serving the interests of Turkey and not the Syrians, as they are factions that aim only to raise money and dominate civilians, so they have room to invest the areas easily, and this is what is actually happening, at a time when the faction leaders are racing to run Behind the positions, and the assault on civilians, on the other hand, there is an invasion of Turkish companies that invest in electricity, the Internet, agriculture, industry, and everything that can be invested in the interest of Turkey.

A local source from the Sheikh Hadid / Shiyeh district, which is considered the stronghold of the “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division” faction, told Aso News Network that a state of tension and alertness witnessed in the area since the beginning of the investigation process with the leaders of the faction, including Abu Amsha, and on the other hand, the faction tried during the days of the trial to work to gain the confidence of civilians and the treatment of the elements with them at the checkpoints, in the police and traffic stations, and even in the local council and civil institutions changed.

The source states that the subject of the trial and investigation with Suleiman Shah faction was the talk of the street during the past days, but now everything is back to normal, and the faction leader, Mohammad Al-Jassem, nicknamed “Abu Amsha”, knows that he has malicious methods and various ways to take revenge on his opponents, so everyone avoids dealing with During the trial, many civilians hoped that he would be imprisoned or that the faction would be ended completely, but they were disappointed, after the results of this trial, which began to be fictitious in the first stage, but today, after he was dismissed, the street relaxed a little, but In Afrin, the fear of the unknown is always present.

Suleiman Shah is involved in thefts and violations
Sources from occupied Afrin report that the factions of the “Syrian National Army” loyal to the Turkish occupation are involved in stealing the livelihood of many civilians and restricting them through imposing taxes and royalties, and under threat of arrest for those who violate orders. The investment and the monopoly of goods, foodstuffs and fuels by merchants loyal to the factions, especially the “Suleiman Shah” faction.

The “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division” faction controls the entire district of Sheikh Hadid / Shiyeh and the surrounding villages with the support of the Turkish occupation, which contributes to strengthening the influence of the faction, and with the beginning of the faction’s occupation with Turkey of Afrin, the faction expelled and displaced Kurdish families from the original population and settled thousands of displaced people. And working to invest the homes and agricultural lands belonging to the Kurds by selling and renting them or establishing investment projects in them and stealing their proceeds.

Mohammad Al-Jassem “Abu Amsha” hails from a village affiliated with the city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in the western countryside of Hama. His appearance began in 2013, when he formed a faction under the name “Line of Fire(Khat Al-Nar) Brigade”, and participated in many battles alongside the jihadist groups against the Syrian regime forces, then Disagreements occurred between him and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), whose faction was ended and he fled to Turkey, which supported him and formed his current faction and put him in its battles against the Syrian Democratic Forces, and later used him in operations of demographic change and in the fighting in Libya and Azerbaijan to become one of the most close ones that Turkey has.