The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announced on Saturday, January 27, the extension of Decision No. 325 issued by the Executive Council, allowing the continued import of tourist vehicles manufactured in 2016, for a period of four months.
The decision’s effectiveness begins from January 29 of the current year, until May 28.
In accordance with the decision, the import of Hyundai (H-100) cars, and any similar model, starting from the manufacturing year 2016 and on, is allowed for four months, from January 29 to May 28.
The decision excludes heavy and medium construction vehicles (machinery), along with agricultural sector vehicles (harvesters, tractors, and any vehicle or machinery used in the agricultural sector), basic unmodified ambulances, and vehicles used in shipping and transport operations (trucks and trailers).
The decision also prevents legal and customs settlements on any car entering northeastern Syria illegally from the date of this decision’s activation, regardless of the reasons.
On September 23, 2023, AANES issued a decision allowing the import of tourist cars and other types such as Hyundai H-100 into its controlled areas in northeastern Syria and prohibiting other types after about nine months of import ban.
The decision stipulated that only tourist cars manufactured since 2016 and onward would be allowed for import for four months, starting on September 28 and ending on January 27, 2024.
A decision from AANES extends permission to import specified cars into its controlled areas in northeast Syria and prohibits other types – January 27, 2024 (Nûdem Rojava Agency)
AANES did not publish the text of the decision on its official platforms, but Enab Baladi verified its authenticity through groups of journalists in the region, and it was published by local media operating in northeastern Syria.
Since the beginning of 2023
The decision to halt car imports dates back to the beginning of 2023, which had been extended by AANES in May of the same year, without clarifying the reasons.
In a previous conversation with Enab Baladi with a car dealer in Qamishli, he said that the import halt was initially launched to reduce the number of cars on offer and try to control market prices.
He added that car prices had increased before the decision was issued, and the increase ranged approximately between one thousand to two thousand US dollars, depending on the car type and manufacturing date.
According to the dealer, the price increase resulted in a sales decline, leading him and other traders to resort more often to selling on credit and in installments than before the import ban decision.
AANES organizes cars registered with it by issuing them numbered plates bearing the name of the area of registration and providing a fuel-filling voucher from its affiliated stations. These cars are considered to have a higher price compared to others that are not included in the registration law.
Used cars also reach the region from Turkey via Manbij to the east of Aleppo, in addition to others that AANES used to import through the Semalka crossing connected with Iraqi Kurdistan.