Enab Baladi – Ras al-Ain
After a stagnation that lasted for two years, car prices in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad have significantly increased, with dealers focusing on exporting them to the Syrian interior since the fall of the previous regime, as well as an increase in smuggling through unofficial crossings into areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), leading to a shortage of available cars in the markets of the two cities.
Export to the Syrian interior
Some dealers control the car market in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad, engaging actively in exporting cars to Idlib and northern Syria, from where they are sold at multiplied profits.
The exports came at a time when the Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad markets were unable to sell many cars.
Abdul Aziz al-Sultan, from the village of Rajm Halawa in Tal Abyad, decided before the fall of the Syrian regime to buy a 2008 Hyundai car to work on it, aiming to improve his financial situation.
Due to his son’s delay in transferring the amount from Turkey, al-Sultan had to wait until early January, which delayed him in completing the purchase.
When al-Sultan returned to inquire about the car he had chosen from the dealership owner, he was surprised by the owner changing his mind due to market improvements and refusing to sell the car at the previously agreed price, instead asking for a significantly higher amount.
He mentioned that the new price is $7,500 instead of $4,350, which led him to cancel the idea of purchasing and decide to wait for prices to drop.
Saif al-Mazen, one of the car brokers in Ras al-Ain, told Enab Baladi that the lack of new cars entering Ras al-Ain has activated and improved the market compared to the past.
He explained that car trade had been economically unfeasible in the past two years due to the abundance of suppliers in the area and the limited geographical space.
He added that the fall of the regime also contributed to revitalizing the car market in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad because of the decrease in the number of cars in the region and many traders directing their exports into the Syrian interior.
40% increase
Enab Baladi obtained prices for cars in Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, which have increased compared to what they were before the fall of the regime. For instance, the price of the 2007 Hyundai Porter H100 used to range between $4,300 and $5,000, now rising to between $7,500 and $8,500.
As for the 2004 to 2005 model Jeep Santa Fe, its price ranged between $3,800 and $4,000, but it jumped to between $6,000 and $6,500.
The price of a Jeep SM model from 2006 to 2010 has also increased from $4,400-$5,400 to $6,000-$7,000.
Active trade
Many people in the areas of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain are working on selling cars at higher prices by passing them through unofficial routes (smuggling) through brokers located in areas controlled by the SDF.
Ramzi al-Salem, one of those involved in transferring cars from Tal Abyad to SDF-controlled areas, stated that this trade has witnessed a notable boom after the fall of the Syrian regime.
He explained to Enab Baladi that he cooperates with influential traders in SDF-controlled areas to deliver new cars via the international M4 road, where they are sometimes sold for double their original value.
Al-Salem added that he pays $450 for each car to powerful individuals within the SDF to allow them to pass without being seized.
He noted that the smuggling activity has led to a severe shortage of cars within Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, especially with the halt of vehicle imports through official crossings, which has further driven local prices up.
For his part, Adnan Othman, a car showroom owner in Ras al-Ain, told Enab Baladi that they were forced to raise prices because they rely on the prices practiced in northern Syria and the increased demand for cars.
Othman explained that one of the main reasons for rising car prices is the customs and border crossings prohibiting the entry of cars older than 2011.
He added that most residents depended on these types due to their lower prices compared to modern cars.
Othman pointed out that the trend of traders who used to supply cars to Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad toward the Syrian interior, coupled with their lack of supplying cars to the region, has led to a significant shortage in the number of cars, which has also contributed to increased demand and decreased supply, driving prices up significantly.
Turkey allows car dealers in Ras al-Ain to import used European cars and pass through its territory only if they are under ten years old at the time of issuance; however, cars produced after this date need special permission to enter through Turkish territory into Ras al-Ain.
According to a statistic obtained by Enab Baladi in June 2024 from the Transport Directorate in Ras al-Ain, the number of registered vehicles reached 24,450.
Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad are located along the Turkish border, controlled by the Syrian National Army (SNA) supported by Turkey (affiliated with the Syrian Interim Government), and surrounded by combat fronts with the SDF, making the Turkish border their only outlet to the outside.