Abu Khalil had no way to secure his child’s treatment other than to sell his house and a plot of land in his village of Gharanij to a local real estate dealer at a lower price than its actual value. The real estate dealer would provide him with a bed in the children’s hospital by virtue of his ties to Iranian officials as well as “friends” from Hezbollah, he said.
Abu Khalil told Syria TV: “The sale of real estate in our village and neighbouring villages has increased due to the difficult economic conditions and the spread of poverty, and many people in the area have decided to emigrate.”
Hajin District is one of the districts administratively affiliated with the al-Bukamal area in Deir-ez-Zor Governorate, with its center in the city of Hajin. The population of the district reached 97,870 people according to the 2004 census.
Iran’s land route to the Mediterranean
“Since 2014, Iran has been trying to build a land route from Iran through Iraq to Syria and Lebanon, reaching the Mediterranean Sea,” said geopolitical expert Ahmed al-Jassem, a native of Abu Hamam, which belongs to the Hajin district.
“Iranian militias are trying to expand their influence in Syria by buying real estate and seizing land, especially on the border with Iraq. Hezbollah, along with other militias, is attempting to establish its influence by buying land and houses on the Syrian-Iraqi border and confiscating real estate in the border areas,” Jassem told Syria TV.
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Jassem pointed out that Iran and the party are trying to change the demographic composition of the border areas with Iraq by buying land and homes and displacing their residents, ignoring the Syrian constitution, which prohibits the sale and emptying of borderlands.
Before 2008, Syrian laws did not allow Arabs or foreigners to own real estate in Syria. However, with the issuance of Law No. 11, the door was opened for non-Syrians to own homes. This was followed by Law No. 11 of 2011, which allowed foreigners to own all types of real estate in Syria, enabling militias to acquire property. The issuance of these two decisions raised many questions in Syrian circles about their purpose, especially given the timing of the latter’s issuance, which coincided with the start of the Syrian revolution. The regime justified these legal amendments by claiming they were meant to attract Arab and foreign capital and reassure investors about their investments in Syria.
Violating Syrian law
Jassem added that the new ownership cases are carried out in violation of the first article of Law No. 11 of 2008, which set conditions that must be met by a non-Syrian who wants to own property, as well as conditions regarding the property that a foreigner wants to own. These conditions are as follows:
– Ownership must be in the interest of the family and not individuals, and the family’s residence in Syria must be lawful regardless of its duration.
– The property must be one property for the purpose of personal housing for that family, and it must have the necessary licenses in accordance with the building control system.
– The property must be an integrated housing unit with a built-up area of not less than 140 square meters.
– In all cases, a prior license must be obtained, issued by a decision of the Minister of Interior, to complete the ownership process.
This is not the case at all in the new acquisitions in the border areas between Syria and Iraq, according to Jassem.
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.
