Syria Monthly Report

In south and central Syria, the Syrian government proceeded with the implementation of its electronic billing system. The system is being introduced across different commercial sectors in government-held areas with the aim of combating tax evasion, increasing transparency, and automating tax calculation. Meanwhile, industrialists in government-held areas have criticized the Ministry of Electricity’s decision to raise electricity prices and called on it to reconsider.

In northeast Syria, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) confirmed that a first batch of Syrian deportees from Iraq has arrived in areas under its control. The deportation coheres with Iraq’s efforts to combat illicit labor migration and regulate its labor markets. Additionally, Christian-owned properties in Ar-Raqqa and Al-Thawrah were transferred to the Directorate for the Protection of Syriac, Assyrian, Chaldeans, and Armenian Absentee Properties. 

In northwest Syria, protests against Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani have continued to spread. Reforms introduced by the group have failed to appease residents, particularly since few concrete steps have so far been taken to achieve them. Nonetheless, HTS has continued engaging in dialogue with protestors in the hope that the demonstrations can be dealt with peacefully, without recourse to escalation by security forces.