afrinpost– Exclusive
Aleppo, Syria – In a recent development, the Syrian regime issued a memorandum to local transportation companies in the city of Aleppo on April 25, 2023, stating that citizens without a civil registration in areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration in northern and eastern Syria would not be allowed to travel without obtaining security approval.
According to exclusive sources, the verbal memorandum aims to tighten restrictions on residents living in eastern Euphrates and limit the movement of citizens residing in regime-controlled areas towards the Autonomous Administration-controlled territories for the purpose of residence. This comes in light of the deteriorating living conditions, widespread poverty, and the collapse of the Syrian lira, which has exceeded nine thousand Syrian pounds per one US dollar.
The restrictions not only apply to internal transportation but also extend to citizens coming from areas under the Autonomous Administration’s control in northern and eastern Syria. They are prohibited from returning to their regions through domestic Syrian airline routes, and their tickets are reserved for one-way travel only.
Such restrictions imposed on citizens, in general, and specifically targeting Kurds, are not new for the Syrian regime. Checkpoints along the road connecting Aleppo city and its countryside, as well as the border crossings with eastern Euphrates, prevent the entry of internally displaced people from Afrin into the city of Aleppo. Consequently, citizens are forced to rely on smuggling routes, which incur significant financial costs. For instance, the cost of smuggling a single person from Raqqa to Aleppo is approximately $100.
Furthermore, the Syrian judiciary in Aleppo practices discrimination against detainees from Afrin based on any legal claims made against them. They are only released through the State Security branch under the pretext of resolving their legal status before being deported to their place of residence.
Security forces also discriminate against anyone registered as being from Afrin. If they reside in Shahba and Tell Rifaat areas, Aleppo city, or eastern Euphrates, they are forcibly relocated to their previous place of residence. Meanwhile, the court immediately releases the rest of the citizens under a special and undisclosed directive.
It is worth noting that the Afrin region is administratively part of Aleppo province, and its residents are registered as residents of Aleppo. As a result, all their transactions and their commercial and social lives are closely tied to the city of Aleppo.
As the Syrian regime tightens its grip on internal travel, these latest restrictions pose significant challenges and hardships for citizens, particularly those from the Autonomous Administration areas, exacerbating the already dire situation in the country.
