FSA factions prevent people from going to regime-held areas
The local councils in the Euphrates Shield area in Aleppo’s countryside issued successive decisions banning citizens from traveling to areas under the regime’s control, for fear that the regime might infiltrate into FSA-controlled areas.
ALEPPO, Syria — A number of local councils in the Euphrates Shield area in Aleppo’s northern countryside issued decisions between Sept. 15 and Sept. 18 prohibiting residents there who are affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) from traveling to regime-held areas. Patients and the elderly would only be allowed to go to these areas in extreme humanitarian cases, with travel permits granted by local councils.
The local councils justified these decisions by saying that a travel ban is a necessary step to maintain security in the Euphrates Shield area, to stop the regime’s attempts to destabilize the FSA-controlled areas through pro-regime residents promoting reconciliation.
The councils’ decisions failed to include detailed information on the procedures to obtain a travel permit or the course of action to punish violators. So far, no permits have been issued.
Marea’s local council issued its decision Sept. 15, noting, “Given the current security situation and in order to control security in the liberated areas, travel to regime-controlled areas is prohibited except in extreme humanitarian cases and with a permit.”
