Tartus City Council enforcement teams, backed by security and police forces, have begun a field campaign to remove illegal occupancies by trespassers and people present unlawfully near the “youth housing” area and the National Hospital in Tartus (western Syria).
According to Khaled Jarad, an official with Tartus city enforcement, the measures were implemented in response to repeated complaints from residents about people encroaching on public and private property.
The enforcement department said the campaign will continue to impose the rule of law, prevent encroachments on public and private property, and preserve the city’s visual appearance and urban order.
Repeated Warnings to Clear Encroachments
Tartus Governorate Security Command carried out a security campaign on March 31 to address encroachments on state property within Tartus city, after some groups had seized land irregularly, according to Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Tartus.
According to a governorate statement, people present at the sites were told to vacate immediately and given a deadline to complete the evacuation.
Tartus security command said the measures were carried out under the laws and regulations in force, in the presence of the relevant authorities, while stressing continued field follow-up to ensure that the evacuation is completed within the specified deadline and that legal action is taken against violators.
On February 28, enforcement teams from Tartus City Council, in cooperation with the relevant authorities, also carried out a joint field campaign targeting encroachers described as “scavengers” and “al-Nawar,” which is a group of Gypsies who were present unlawfully on several privately owned properties on the outskirts of Tartus city.
During that campaign, official notices were issued ordering the sites to be vacated and all forms of encroachment removed within a final deadline of 48 hours, under penalty of legal action, according to posts published by Tartus City Council on its official accounts.
Those carrying out the campaign stressed the need to prevent any damage to public and private property, especially agricultural land within the administrative boundaries of Tartus city.
In a clarification at the time, Tartus City Council said the measures came as part of its effort to prevent encroachments and protect property and citizens’ rights.
The issue of “al-Nawar” in Tartus governorate has stirred considerable controversy in recent months. According to many complaints, large numbers of them settled around Tartus city, setting up tents along the road toward Sheikh Saad and along the ring road leading to the highway.
Herds of sheep wandering along the road leading to Tartus city’s entrance have also become a familiar sight for residents and for people arriving from other areas.
Complaints from farmers
Farmers in the Latakia countryside have repeatedly complained that sheep herds arriving from the eastern governorates enter their orchards, which are planted with lemons and olives, causing direct crop losses and increasing friction with livestock breeders.
Following the recent issuance of an official circular banning overgrazing, farmers are now watching to see whether the decision will provide real protection for their livelihoods on the ground.
On the other hand, another source of hardship lies in confrontations. Farmers from al-Bahluliyah, Satkheris, Mashqita, and al-Yaghnisah told Enab Baladi that their attempts to protect their land are often met with violent reactions and sharp verbal threats from some herders arriving with large flocks. Farmers find themselves unable to confront them in the absence of immediate patrol oversight, turning an agricultural dispute into a security tension that threatens civil peace in those villages.
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