Government imposes taxes on removing war debris in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor

DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – On Saturday, Deir ez-Zor municipality started to remove debris from the destroyed buildings as a result of Syrian war in order to take iron out of those buildings for its own favor depriving the owners of them, in a process described by residents as new taxes imposed by the government.

Machineries headed to al-Mowazafin, al-Jebaylah, and al-Orfi neighborhoods in Deir ez-Zor in order to start removing debris and take iron out.

“In April, they conducted the same process, took iron out, and sold it as secondhand items rather than giving it to the house owners,” Hadi al-Hareth, a resident from al-Mowazafin neighborhood, told North Press.

“Three months ago, a notification was issued in order for the destroyed house owners to remove debris otherwise the municipality will carry the process out,” he added.

In May, the government authorities in Deir ez-Zor conducted a campaign against irregular buildings, which are being sealed, destroyed, and seized “under the pretext of being built on public property.”  

“This process takes place as a result of residents’ lax and their inability to remove debris on their own expenses,” Mosa al-Hassan, an employee at violation department in the municipality, told North Press.

“The iron that is being taken out is considered a tax for the residents’ lax in removing the debris. Additionally, a decision is being studied for the possibility of fining the residents in order to remove the rubble themselves,” he added.  

Reporting by Ahmad al-Mousa