afrinpost – Exclusive
The militia led by “Mohammed Al-Jassim Abu Amsha,” known as “Sultan Suleiman Shah/Al-Amshat,” has imposed a new levy on olive presses and olive oil traders within its control in the Şiyê/Sheikh al-Hadid and Mobata/Ma’batli districts. The extortion amounts range between ten to twelve thousand dollars.
Reliable sources confirmed to afrinpost that the security leader in the “Al-Amshat” militia, known as “Abu Muaz,” has imposed a levy of ten thousand dollars on all olive presses in the Sheikh al-Hadid and Ma’batli districts. However, for some presses, the levy has been set at twelve thousand dollars. Additionally, every oil merchant in the Şiyê\Sheikh al-Hadid district is required to pay the same levy (ten thousand dollars).
On December 18, afrinpost documented the “Al-Amshat” militia threatening Kurdish citizens unable to pay the hefty levies imposed on the olive season. These levies apply to properties of absentees and displaced individuals outside the occupied Afrin region. The militia employed violence during raids conducted in the Kurdish villages.
