The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Sponsored by Lebanese Hezbollah | Pro-Iranian foreign militias expand their presence at Syrian-Lebanese border, confiscating dozens of luxury apartments and purchasing hundreds of agricultural land plots

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has monitored a new Iranian expansion in Syrian territory, where Arab and foreign militias loyal to Iran settled near the Syrian-Lebanese border under the supervision of the Lebanese Hezbollah.

 

SOHR sources have said that Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan militias have recently confiscated luxury apartments in Bludan area and other areas nearby, and turned them into accommodation for them and their families. The majority of these militias are Afghan. The number of villas and apartments confiscated has reached more than 69 so far, most of which owned by Syrians living abroad.

 

The Iranian expansion is also included the purchase of land along the Lebanese border, despite laws prohibiting the sale and transfer of ownership of border land. However, these militias seem that they are not covered by the laws. The Syrian Observatory has monitored the purchase of more than 140 land by these militias in al-Zabadani area, while al-Toufil border area, which is one of the densest areas in that region, has seen the largest purchases of land so far, as 200 land plots have been purchased. A Syrian person, known by his initials as (H.D.), is facilitating these operations, who hails from al-Toufil and one of the most prominent figures in the border area from the Syrian side.

 

On November 20, reliable SOHR sources in eastern Ghouta recently reported increasing number of real estate purchases in the towns and cities of Ghouta by a group of people working for dealers from Deir Ezzor. These people buy real estates, mostly houses and some shops, at the orders of the dealers. However, the fact that all these real estates are kept closed after being sold has been seen as worrisome.

 

According to SOHR sources, these dealers are from Al-Mayadeen countryside in eastern Deir Ezzor and affiliated to the Iranian-backed local militias of “Al-Abbas Brigade”. The most prominent dealer is a man from Al-Bakarah tribe called Abu Yasser Al-Bakary, who has bought many properties in Deir Ezzor at the direct orders of Adnan Al-Abbas, the leader of “Al-Abbas Brigade”.

 

Such purchases are concentrated in eastern Ghouta, particularly in Kafr Batna, Hazza, Saqba, Ain Tarma, Al-Mulayha and Zamalka. These deals included real estates which have been for sale and other properties whose owners have been displaced to northern Syria or traveled overseas, via brokers of both sides.

 

It is worth noting that the number of real estates purchased by “Al-Abbas Brigade” in the past few months exceeded 300, while the value of each real estate sold during this period ranged between 25 million SYL and 125 million SYL, depending on the size and location of the real estate.

 

SOHR sources have confirmed that these processes are on the march, as representatives of these dealers, carrying individual guns, pay periodical visits to real estate offices in eastern Ghouta where they ask about properties available for sale, and ask these offices’ owners to inform them as soon as new properties become available on the market.

 

Such suspicious and uncertain developments in the area have triggered the residents’ fear and worry over the purposes and reasons behind the purchase of a large number of real estates in their cities and towns.