After taking control of Afrin… the terrorist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham imposes royalties and seizes the people’s property

Qutaiba al-Ali – Aleppo countryside

With the control of “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), which is classified on international terrorist lists, over the occupied city of Afrin and the expulsion of the elements of al-Jabha al-Shamiya faction loyal to the Turkish occupation, the terrorist leaders of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham took the approach of other factions, by stealing civilians’ property and imposing taxes on them, amid fears from the increase of these violations during the coming period, while the factions, in turn, continue to harass the people of the rest of the occupied areas.

After violent battles over a week between the terrorist “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” and several other factions loyal to the Turkish occupation, including “al-Jabha al-Shamiyyah” and “Jayish al-Islam”, the former managed to extend its control over the city of Afrin and several villages in its countryside, in addition to the city of Jenderes, and the battles raged in the town of Kafar Janneh, adjacent to the city of Azaz in the northern countryside of Aleppo, it stopped after the conflicting parties reached a ceasefire agreement.

As soon as the HTS, which is classified on the international terrorist lists, entered the city of Afrin, it began to seize agricultural lands, olive groves, houses and shops, owned by the people of the city. The members of the HTS also arrested many of the people of the city on charges of being loyal to the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Autonomous Administration, in a scene that never changed on the people of the city, as they mainly suffered from the practices of the factions after the “Peace Spring” operation led by Turkey.

The media activist, “Mahmoud al-Saad” (a pseudonym), told Aso News Network, that the situation did not change much after the group, which is classified on the international terrorist lists, took control of Afrin. .

The body, which is classified on the international terrorist lists, confiscated more than 80 homes and more than 30 shops in several neighborhoods of Afrin, and arrested more than 30 people from the city, in addition to dozens of members of the “National Army” factions.

Many members of the terrorist organization settled in the confiscated houses, which were seized by the “Ahrar al-Sham Movement” and the “al-Jabha al-Shamiya”.

Al-Saad added that all the olive groves surrounding the city are currently under the control of the terrorist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. And their gunmen prevented the owners to reach their agricultural lands. But they were allowed to harvest their crops on 23rd October on condition of paying taxes to more than 15% of their crops. The terrorist organization established mobile teams affiliated with the so-called “Zakat Authority” to collect taxes.

He pointed out that the commission, which is classified on international l terrorist lists, has assigned members of the security apparatus, in order to implement the tax decision by force and at gunpoint to anyone who tries to object to the decision, and the commission has sent instructions to all olive presses in the region not to press the crops of any farmer without making sure that he pays the imposed taxes on him.

There is no truth to what is being promoted locally by the terrorist organization informing that it aims to provide safety and works to serve the people better than other factions, in an attempt to reassure the people of Afrin, but the general situation is as it is, rather the number of military barracks and checkpoints at the entrances and center of the city has increased. Security is more tightened than it was before, according to Al-Saad’s description.

Stressing that the terrorist body is no less criminal than the rest of the factions, but the only difference between them is the method used in extending influence, and the scene remains unclear at present, pending knowledge of the way in which the body, which is classified on the international terrorist lists, will deal with civilians and regarding their property, And the fate of hundreds of detainees inside prisons.

Sources explained to Aso News Network that the terrorist organization imposed taxes on civilians, in cooperation with “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division” faction led by Muhammad al-Jasem (Abu Amsha), who is known for committing many violations, including confiscation of property and harassment of civilians, and with the control of the organization over the city of Afrin, mobile teams began moving between olive presses, farmers and shopkeepers to inform them of the need to pay taxes.

The human rights activist, Maram al-Bakri, told Aso News Network, that “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which is on the international lists of terrorism,” is no better than the factions of the National Army and will not achieve peace for Afrin as it claims. Controlling Afrin is a purely economic goal and has nothing to do with consolidating security and stability.

Adding, the “terrorist organization” may have one advantage, which is that it is not obedient to Turkey as much as the other factions that have made themselves a tool to implement Turkish orders only, and “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham”, which is classified on international terrorist lists, is known for confiscating the property of civilians who live outside its control. and imposing taxes on civilians within its areas of control under the name of “zakat”.

Noting that members of the security apparatus affiliated with the terrorist organization entered the district of Sheikh Hadid / Shiyeh,, demanding that the people pay zakat, which is nothing but taxes imposed on the population under the force of arms, and no one wants to pay it.

Local sources told Aso News Network that the most important reasons that prompted HTS, which is on the global terrorist lists, to attack and control the factions in Afrin and Jandires is the collection of taxes and royalties, and the timing of its attack on Afrin coincided with the start of the olive harvest season.

In addition to its control over the smuggling crossings, which generate a lot of money, and the seizure of the property of the displaced, and finally its desire to monopolize power and monopolize control over northern Syria.

Aso News Network has monitored the suffering of the people in the city of Afrin, following the clashes that took place between the “terrorist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” and “al-Jabha al-Shamiya faction”, which resulted in a state of instability in Afrin, increased thefts and high prices in the markets, in addition to The educational process has stopped in some schools, as well as the provision of services in some health facilities.

And while these violations continue, the fears of the people in Afrin increase from an unknown future, which may be worse than how the city was.

There are conflicting reports about the presence of the terrorist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in the city of Afrin, after some parties loyal to al-Fayleq al-Thalth and al-Jabha al-Shamiya who were expelled from the city of Afrin, claimed that the group had withdrawn from the city of Afrin and retreated towards its former military points in the city of Afrin.

Aso News Network has monitored information from within the city of Afrin confirming the presence of the terrorist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in the city and its countryside, especially the villages under the control of al-Amshat and al-Hamzat factions, where the elements of the terrorist organization have joined the ranks of the elements of those factions and its members wear the uniforms of the Free National Army in order to camouflage their presence within Afrin city.