The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Aleppo | Al-Hamza Division imposes “protection taxes” on civilians, threatening of looting properties of everyone refuses to pay

Aleppo Province: SOHR activists have reported that the Turkish-backed al-Hamza Division has imposed levies of 200 to 500 TL on residents of Kokaniyah village in Maabatly district in Afrin countryside north of Aleppo, under “protection taxes”. “Abu Sultan”, a commander in al-Hamza Division, has informed the residents that they must pay these new levies, during a meeting in the house of the village’s mayor.

 

The commander warned the village’s residents that if they refused to pay, their properties would be subjected to thefts, then al-Hamza Division would be not responsible for protecting those properties.

 

It is worth noting that these new levies are not included in the previous “harvest olives’ season” or the annual taxes of 20% of the harvest, which the Local Council has imposed on farmlands’ owners.