Arrest campaign in Homs countryside aimed at extorting ransoms

Over two days, the city of al-Mukharram in the eastern Homs countryside witnessed a widespread arrest and raid campaign carried out by members of the transitional government forces in Syria.

These operations began at dawn on Tuesday and continued over the past two days. The violent campaign targeted dozens of young men from the area, numbering more than 21 individuals from al-Mukharram, Al-Sankari, and al-Haraki.

False, fabricated accusations were leveled against the detainees without any evidence, aiming to spread fear and pressure the families, according to sources from the area.

Amid this escalation, reports received by ANHA correspondents confirmed the release of a number of detainees after their relatives paid large sums of money under the pretext of a "settlement," with these amounts reaching over 700 million Syrian pounds per family.

Local sources say that members of the transitional government forces carried out their raids with unprecedented brutality, storming homes with force and violence, spreading terror among the residents. This prompted dozens of families, fearing the unknown and arrest, to flee and spend their nights in the wilderness away from the attackers.

Sources from ANHA agency confirmed that the members responsible for these arrests and repressive practices are a group known for tightening the security grip and extorting the population, led by a person called "Abu Audi," who is the main driver of these operations.

The sources noted that "Abu Audi" receives support and backing from other individuals known by the names "Abu Maria," "Abu Jaafar al-Battar," and "Abu Al-Hajjaj." These individuals have turned the daily lives of the residents into a continuous nightmare, as people are not allowed to carry out any economic activity, no matter how simple, such as work or selling, except after paying exorbitant sums of money as forced tributes imposed on them.

Behind this campaign lie deeper and more dangerous objectives, as seen by some Syrian activists, alongside the financial ransom. These objectives represent a systematic policy aimed at subjugating the people of the region through starvation and humiliation.

Activists and observers of Syrian affairs confirm that this policy is part of a deliberate approach to dismantle the social fabric and plunge it into poverty and absolute dependency on the authority.

While these actions are justified under the pretext of preserving "security" and "order," looting and pillaging continue increasingly, leaving families without shelter or daily sustenance.

Similar to what Syrians are experiencing in areas controlled by the transitional government, the residents of Homs are living through attempts at forced displacement, killing, and extortion.

A-H 

ANHA