Enab Baladi – Ras al-Ain
Shop owners in the city of Ras al-Ain (northwest al-Hasakah) complain about the continued closure of the main market entrances for more than four years, which delays the process of transporting goods to the shops, slows down commercial activity, and makes it difficult for customers to access, resulting in a decline in sales.
The reason for the authorities’ closure of the entrances is the city’s exposure to several bombings in recent years, which were blamed on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the military wing of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
Entering a vehicle to load or unload goods to the Ras al-Ain market requires prior permission, as there is only one entrance that opens after coordinating with the Civil Police, which inspects the vehicle to ensure it is free of explosives.
Despite the improvement in the security situation and the cessation of bombings since 2021, the inspection procedures still take a long time to complete, according to shop owners.
Weak commercial movement
Ibrahim al-Mohammad, a furniture shop owner in Ras al-Ain, told Enab Baladi that the closure of the market entrances has made transporting goods a real challenge.
He added that he has relied on transport carts and has to walk a distance of up to 250 meters to move each piece of furniture, or he waits until night when the congestion decreases to bring the vehicle inside the market.
Al-Mohammad mentioned that this situation has become exhausting, forcing him to delay bringing in goods, while shops outside the market do not face the same problem, which leads customers to head to showrooms in other areas.
Malik al-Marei, who owns an electrical appliance maintenance shop in the market, described how he has been affected by the closure of the market entrances in Ras al-Ain.
Al-Marei explained to Enab Baladi that he faces difficulties in transporting goods by motorcycle, which has led to some appliances being damaged during the transportation process, adding that these problems have resulted in financial losses.
He noted that the closure of the entrances adds additional financial and physical pressure on the vendors, amidst a recession being witnessed in the commercial movement in the region.
As for Ismail Qrit, a wholesale food shop owner, he had to move his shop from the main market to a side street due to the financial losses he incurred as a result of the market entrances being closed.
He told Enab Baladi that the closure of the entrances has made it difficult for him to sell his goods, as customers no longer frequent his shop, adding that transporting goods and preparing the new shop cost him a lot of money.
Despite relocating his shop, the vendor still suffers from a sharp decline in sales, as his shop is in a distant location, according to him.
Traders and vendors interviewed by Enab Baladi have called for the opening of the market entrances due to the improvement in the security situation, as no bombings or problems have occurred in the area recently, which would contribute to improving market movement and increasing foot traffic to the shops.
Promises of facilitations
The spokesperson for the local council in Ras al-Ain, Ziad Malaki, told Enab Baladi that the closure of the market entrances came as a result of consecutive bombings that the city experienced between 2019 and 2021, which resulted in many fatalities and injuries.
He explained that the market consists of 400 active shops within the city, and that the local council allows private vehicles of commercial enterprises to enter through the main gate, after conducting the necessary checks and completing the required procedures.
Malaki added that the local council intends to facilitate the procedures for shop owners by issuing special permits for them, which will help expedite their business operations.
He indicated that under the current conditions, there is no intention by the local council to open the market entrances, to preserve the safety of the residents from any “terrorist threat.”
The Syrian National Army (SNA), backed by Turkey, has control over a wide border area of approximately 120 kilometers between the cities of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, following an offensive that began on October 9, 2019, and lasted for several weeks against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria.
The repeated explosions that occurred in the area of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad between 2019 and 2021 resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 people, for which the SDF was accused of carrying out, and these accusations were met with denials.