Turkmen farmers seek return of land seized by Assad regime
Turkmens celebrate as they return to their villages, which had been blocked by the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime for years in Bayirbucak region in Latakia, Syria on January 17, 2025. (AA Photo)
In the olive groves of Syria’s Bayirbucak region, the scars of decades-old land seizures run deep as Turkmen villagers demand the return of 4,500 acres taken by the Assad family since 1974.
The fertile lands of Silayip Turkman and Burj Islam villages, once home to flourishing olive, lemon, and orange orchards, were systematically acquired through coercion to build palatial compounds, according to multiple residents who shared their experiences with Anadolu.
“I had a 50-acre vineyard that my cousins, siblings, and I inherited from our grandfather,” said Vahid Said Shalha, 70, whose story exemplifies the systematic pressure applied to local landowners. After refusing to sell, he was imprisoned in Sednaya Prison on false charges of collaborating with foreign powers.
“They took me to Sednaya Prison despite my protests. I was tortured and left without clothes for a month,” Shalha said. Upon his release three years later, the pressure intensified through threats of re-imprisonment until he sold his land for a fraction of its value.
Turkmen community’s fight for justice in Syria from prison cells to palace walls
The Assad regime’s approach followed a pattern: threats, imprisonment, and ultimately forced sales at severely depressed prices. According to Shalha, land worth 1 million Syrian pounds per acre was purchased for just 100,000 pounds ($7.8).
For those who resisted, the consequences were severe. Hasan Faris, whose family depended on their olive grove for survival, described the sudden destruction of their livelihood: “One morning, we woke up to find excavators had destroyed every tree. When we tried to approach, they threatened to bury us there.”
The seized lands now host four palaces belonging to various Assad family members, surrounded by barbed wire and strict security measures. Ibrahim Bilal, who holds title deeds to three acres in Silayip Turkman village, said, “Even walking near the land is forbidden. We can only see it from a distance but cannot approach.”
The villagers’ demands for justice have gained renewed urgency following Bashar al-Assad’s flight to Russia on Dec. 8 after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus, ending his family’s 25-year rule.
“We want a new government to pay the true value of our land,” Shalha said, reflecting the community’s hope for restitution. “Even if they pay half but do so fairly, I will accept.”
For many, like Faris, the issue transcends monetary compensation: “We speak not only for ourselves but for all Bayirbucak Turkmens. Everyone wants justice and their lands returned.”
