Exclusive testimonies | Checkpoints of regime forces and 4th Division in Aleppo clamp down on civilians and loot their money
Aleppo province: Many regime forces’ checkpoints are prevalent in the vicinity of Aleppo city. These checkpoints are supposed to keep security, prevent thefts and prevent looting of civilians’ homes. However, regime soldiers and militiamen stationed on these checkpoints have exploited their locations and focused only on looting passengers who often have various currencies in their possession, especially since these checkpoints are located near routes used for smuggling goods and people to SDF-held areas, areas under the control of Turkish-backed factions and areas under the control of opposition factions in the “de-escalation zone”.
According to a circular issued by regime security authorities and the 4th Division and distributed to all checkpoints in Aleppo governorate, money with any civilian must be confiscated in the case that he has over 300,000 SYL in his/her possession, while the confiscated money will be delivered to the Central Bank in Aleppo.
A civilian known by his initials as M.D. was a victim of such looting operations, as his money was confiscated by the members of the 4th Division when he was stopped at their checkpoint with three million Syrian Lira in his possession. The civilian was accused of “speculation in the black market and smuggling money abroad”. However, the man have got this sum of money when he sold his car with the aim to buy a new one.
A lady known as N.M. shared her experience with SOHR, as she said, “members of the 4th Division stationed at a checkpoint in al-Ashrafieh neighborhood inspected my bags, and when I asked them about the reason behind checking the women’s bags, they told me that they were looking for money as they confiscate the money of any civilian carried more than 300,000 Syrian Lira.
On August 29, 4th Division’s checkpoints near the Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiyah neighbourhoods arrested 12 citizens from Afrin city, including three civilian jewelers in the two neighbourhoods. Later, one of the jewelers was released after his family paid a ransom, while the two others were taken to security branch in Syria’s capital, Damascus, for “money laundering and tax evasion”.
Moreover, the 4th Division arrested a civilian from Afrin and confiscated a moderate mobile phone he was carrying under the pretext that “the mopile phone was smuggled to Syria and did not enter through the legal ways”. It is worth noting that the man paid customs for his phone in the local telecommunications company “Syriatel”. The civilian was released three days later.
Regime forces also arrested a civilian for carrying 1,300 dollars and referred him to the Economic Court under the pretext of “trafficking and trade in currency”.
Also, regime soldiers stationed at al-Layramoun checkpoint, also known as “al-Feesh” checkpoint, insulted civilians and deliberately delayed their cars from passing to force the drivers to pay levies in order to accomplish security procedures at the checkpoint faster.
Another civilian known as B.K. told SOHR that he informed the members stationed at al-Layramoun checkpoint that his brother was sick and could not stand for long time, but the officer in charge of the checkpoint, alled “Abu Yazan”, verbally abused the man and threatened him to take him to prison, if he complained again. Furthermore, the officer shouted at the civilian, “Let your brother die, it is not my business.”
B.K. added, “I had to wait for more than five hours, while my brother was screaming in pain. The officer also deliberately delayed the cars from passing through the checkpoint to make the drivers to pay levies of 10,000 to 15,000 SYL. Finally, the drivers accepted to pay the levies, so that they would not wait for a long time.”
Similarly, regime soldiers stationed at al-Ashrafieh checkpoint inspected cars and pedestrians thoroughly, searching for money, with the support of Liwaa al-Baqer whose members are of al-Bakara tribe, which forced civilians to wait at the checkpoint for more than two hours waiting.
As a result for the thorough inspection, people with cars were forced to wait in a long queue, but the regime soldiers kept indifferent to the patients and humanitarian cases. These procedures forced some patients to cross the checkpoint on foot into al-Ashrafiah neighbourhood.