afrinpost– Exclusive
In a concerning incident, Syrian regime forces recently detained a Kurdish woman (widow of a martyr) while she was traveling from the Kurdish-controlled area in al-Ashrafieh to regime-held territories for medical treatment. The charges against her remain undisclosed, and her whereabouts are still unknown.
In a related context, security checkpoints deployed by the regime have tightened their grip on the residents of Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo city. They meticulously search vehicles and pedestrians and thoroughly inspect women’s bags after the regime introduced female personnel to these checkpoints.
Our correspondent noted that the regime deliberately conducts detailed vehicle searches to exert pressure on the locals. Hundreds of people from these neighborhoods commute daily to regime-controlled areas for medical purposes or work. Delaying the inspection process leads to the postponement of treatment for many patients with chronic illnesses, as well as delays for workers and employees in reaching their workplaces.
Furthermore, security checkpoints along the Alahdath-Aleppo Road continue to impose financial bribes on forcibly displaced residents of Afrin who have settled in the northern countryside of Aleppo. Citizens are compelled to pay sums ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 Syrian pounds in order to pass through five security checkpoints. These checkpoints deliberately slow down and meticulously inspect vehicles if the bribe is not paid.
The regime has recently established a new point at the Jandoul Roundabout in Aleppo city, where citizens’ IDs are thoroughly checked by the Criminal Security Department. Kurdish citizens are subjected to a dual identity check, first by the State Security and then by the Criminal Security. Additionally, a levy is imposed on every passing vehicle, amounting to 4,000 Syrian pounds for minibusses and 2,000 Syrian pounds for small cars.
