SOHR reveals: Smuggled goods sold for large sums of money with active involvement of SDF members and commanders

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights continues to track and highlight ongoing smuggling operations between areas held by Syria Democratic Forces and factions operating under their banner, and areas controlled by Turkish forces and their proxies. The value of goods, smuggled on a daily basis, is estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars.

In Aleppo, smuggling continues between areas held by “Euphrates Shield” factions, and areas under control of “Manbij Military Council”. Vegetables, fruit, Turkish foodstuffs, cement and other goods are smuggled to Manbij area, while gas and fuel are smuggled from Manbij. The same happens between regime-held areas and areas held by “Manbij Military Council”.

Fighters and commanders of “Manbij Military Council” are involved in these smuggling operations.

Similarly, vegetables, fuel, gas, diesel and cattle are smuggled from SDF-held areas in Al-Raqqah to the Turkish-controlled area of Tal Abyad, while Turkish foodstuffs, wheat, barley, corn, cumin and cement are smuggled from Tal Abyad to Al-Raqqah.

Reliable SOHR sources say that the price of a ton of cement in Turkish-controlled areas approximates 50,000 SYL, while it is sold in SDF-held areas for nearly 140,000 SYL.

Meanwhile, the crossings of Tal Tamr, which are under supervision of Jaysh Al-Thwaar, Sh’aytat and SDF, are used for smuggling goods from Ain Issa to Tal Tamr, then to Turkish-held areas. At the same time, smuggled goods are brought into Ain Issa, whose crossings are under the supervision of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish).