The checkpoints  deployed by the Syrian regime forces and pro-Iranian militias along the main road between the cities of Deir ez-Zor and al-Bukamal — which were liberated from the Islamic State (IS) in November 2017 — are among the main sources of huge sums of money for Syrian officers and Iranian officials in charge of these checkpoints. They do not allow civilians and traders to cross with their merchandise except after having paid significant royalties. This has pushed many traders to escape to areas under the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the cities of Raqqa, Hasakah, Tabqa and others.

Ammar Mohsen, a sheep trader from the city of Deir ez-Zor, told Al-Monitor, “The [Syrian army’s] Fourth Armored Division that is loyal to Maher al-Assad, the brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, controls most crossings and checkpoints in Deir ez-Zor and reaps the biggest share of financial returns, royalties and taxes imposed on the citizens of the area and its local traders.”

Mohsen said that before he fled to the SDF-controlled city of Hasakah in northeast Syria, he traded in sheep in the areas under the control of the regime and pro-Iranian militias in al-Bukamal and al-Mayadin. He said, “I had to pay each party, including the checkpoints of the Fourth Armored Division, which received the lion’s share. The regime-affiliated militia members heavily deployed on main roads and city entrances imposed royalties depending on the amount and type of merchandise. I had to pay $1,000 each time my sheep truck crossed a checkpoint.”

Katiba al-Hajal, a trader of foodstuff from Deir ez-Zor, told Al-Monitor, “The traders named each checkpoint after the crossing charge. For instance, the Fourth Armored Division checkpoint was called the ‘$500 checkpoint,’ while the Iranian militias’ checkpoint was dubbed the ‘$200 checkpoint.’ Others were known as the ‘$100 checkpoints,’ and so on. The officers took all these royalties.”