The “Asset Management Committee” of the Head of the Military and Security Commission in Hama province has announced an auction to ensure the investment of olive groves for the agricultural season (2020) in the al-Salamiyah and al-Ghab areas. These lands are owned by people either residing in areas held by the Syrian opposition factions or outside of Syria.

The committee added that an auction would be held to invest lands in al-Salamiyah and all villages affiliated to al- Salamiyah and al-Saboura directorates within the surroundings of al-Salamiyah area on 26 October, according to what was published by the official “Facebook” page of the “Peasant’s Union of Hama Governorate.”

Previously, the committee announced an auction for the investment of uncultivated lands and olive groves in the al-Ghab area for one season (2020) in the fields and villages of the al-Kalaa and al-Jeed areas.

The committee set the auction date on 22 October in the cultural center of al-Suqaylabiyah city in Hama province.

Most farmers cannot reach their farmlands in the countryside of Hama and Idlib after the Syrian regime’s control of the area or due to its closeness to the regime’s checkpoints.

Meanwhile, the committee did not clarify the conditions for applying to the auction or any other details.

Public auction

The properties and shops are offered for public auction after their seizure due to their owners’ failure to pay their financial obligations under the provisions of the Syrian Civil Procedure Code.

The foreclosure of the Military Housing Establishment’s properties might also be due to their ownership by dissident officers from the al-Assad regime’s army; therefore, they were auctioned for sale.

Moreover, a property cannot be sold in the public auction unless registered in the cadastre, according to the governing provisions of the Land Registry of Law No. 188 of 1926.

Previous public auctions

On 14 October, the committee held an auction in the Mhardeh area, including the towns of Kafr Hood, Kafr Zita, al-Sayyad, al-Arbaeen, al-Hamamyat, al-Zaka, Halfaya, Tal Malah, al-Jalmah, al-Shaykh Hadid, al-Safsafiyah, al-Tremseh, Shaizar, Jdeiydeh, al-Jabeen, Majdal, and al-Zalakiyat.

Back then, the committee announced that the auction is intended to guarantee the investment of olive groves owned by people living in areas under the control of Syrian opposition factions.

On 21 July, the committee held an auction to invest pistachio farmlands owned by people residing in areas held by the Syrian opposition factions in northern Syria.

The auction was held for the investment of lands located in the cities and towns of Mahardah, al-Lataminah, Latmin, Kafr Zita, and al-Zaka north-western Hama city for one agricultural season at the city’s cultural center.

At that time, the committee declared the conditions that must be met by the citizens applying to the auction to guarantee the investment of pistachio farmlands.

The conditions included that the applicant must not have been banned from participating in auctions or contracting with public entities nor under provisional or execution seizure of assets by state authorities.