Confidential sources have informed Sawt Al-Asima that Syrian businessman Abu Ali Khodr has been placed under house arrest following a two-month period of restrictions on his business activities. This includes preventing official institutions and the private sector from engaging in any of Khodr’s commercial ventures.
According to Sawt Al-Asima’s sources, the situation parallels what occurred with Rami Makhlouf in previous years. Khodr has been presented with two options: either relinquish a significant portion of his assets both within and outside Syria, retaining limited operational capacity or maintain the status quo while placing all his properties under the oversight of economic committees at the Republican Palace.
Discovery of Secret Prison and Remains in Abu Ali Khodr’s Warehouse
Despite some of Khodr’s companies continuing to operate, albeit at a reduced pace, there has been a notable exodus of managers and employees in recent weeks. Many fear being implicated in investigations or facing arrest, particularly those with personal ties to Khodr.
Emma Tel, which has long held a monopoly as the sole importer of mobile devices, wielded considerable commercial influence in the market under Khodr’s authority. However, the shelves now stand barren of “premium” devices like Apple and Samsung, which Emma Tel exclusively imported into Syria for years.
Sources from Sawt Al-Asima report that intelligence services affiliated with the regime have shuttered all warehouses belonging to Khodr, including those storing goods for the Al-Mira company, which are smuggled into Syria and distributed under the company’s label.
Those close to Khodr have yet to make a definitive decision regarding the disposition of his amassed wealth, whether to relocate it out of Syria or transfer ownership of his companies and properties within the country to the Republican Palace.
Security orders have effectively halted all sales, purchases, and agency agreements associated with Khodr and his associates to prevent any attempt to transfer assets between parties and evade scrutiny from economic committees.
In mid-January, the Sawt Al-Asima website reported that Khodr had severed ties with Maher al-Assad months prior, after years of collaboration. Maher purportedly presented Khodr as a “gift” to the Republican Palace, placing his trade and investments under the purview of the Economic Committee overseen by Asma al-Akhras.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
