Syrian foes profit from trade across front lines
AFP
Barrels of oil, sacks of sugar, crates piled with fruit: goods worth millions of dollars criss-cross Syrias battlefronts daily, waved through by bitter enemies who have become business partners, reports AFP from Beirut.
Syrias regime, rebels, Kurds, and even jihadists are linking up with well-connected businessmen to turn a profit at crossings connecting otherwise divided territory.
Multiple sources from rebel-held parts of Syria including military commanders, businessmen, fighters, and residents have described to the news agency a sprawling, quasi-official network of deals and arrangements on cross-country trade.
Critics say they have allowed armed groups and businessmen, some linked with President Bashar al-Assads regime, to profit from the divisions tearing Syria apart.
One key junction where business takes place is Morek, between the northwestern province of Idlibwhich is held by various rebel and jihadist forcesand government-controlled Hama.
On the rebel side, Morek is managed by Al-Qaedas onetime Syria branch Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), with the other side run by government forces.
Year round, vegetables, biscuits and clothes leave Idlib, while fuel, sugar, and spare car parts are trucked in through Hama from across swathes of government-held territory, sources at the crossing and others familiar with operations there said.
Morek is the most important crossing between rebels and the regime, given the trade coming and going through there, said Abu al-Huda al-Sorani, who administers the border for HTS.
Its an official transit point recognised by us both, and its the money that makes things move.
In an interview with the news agency correspondent at the crossing, Sorani said Morek was opened with the mediation of businessmen who have links with the regime. One man monopolises the trade on the regime side, he said.
Sorani declined to provide a name for the businessman, but multiple sources familiar with operations at the crossing pointed to a mysterious businessman known only as Ghawar.
One source in opposition-held territory with close knowledge of the crossing said Ghawar pays Syrian government forces at least $1 million (850,000 euros) every few months for exclusive use of a stretch of the M5 highway leading to Morek.
The source, and others interviewed by the news agency, spoke on condition of anonymity fearing a backlash from rebel or regime forces for revealing details of trade operations.
Ghawar, who acts as a frontman for regime-linked businessmen, also sets duties paid by each truck passing through loyalist checkpoints before they reach the crossing, the source said.
On the other side, HTS monopolises sugar sales in opposition zones and bans female livestock from leaving Idlib to maximise breeding in rebel areas and keep the regime dependent on them.
No one can trade in sugar unless theyre covered by HTS, because of its high revenue, the source said.
HTS also sets export fees. On July 8, the news agency correspondent saw stonemasons protesting near Morek after duties per truckload jumped from $400 to $1,500. Ultimately the demonstrators managed to force prices back down.
