Syrian regime forces prevent residents living in Mabbug from crossing into regime-controlled Holob

MABBUG, Syria — Syrian regime forces are preventing Syrians living east of the Euphrates Rivers from passing through the Al-Tayha Border Crossing in Mabbug (Manbij), which separates the areas under the control of the Syrian regime and those controlled by the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) in North and East Syria. No exceptions were being made medical issues or students.

“The regime forces have only allowed the residents of Mabbug to pass Al-Tayha for the last year,” a local source stated, adding that recently they have begun refusing to allow people from Mabbug to cross. The Syrian regime Air Force Intelligence changed its personnel at the border crossing recently, said the source. In addition, elements of the 4th Division and checkpoint personnel on the road between Mabbug and Holob (Aleppo) had also changed.

Abeer al-Issa, a pseudonym for a student from Mabbug studying at Aleppo University, said that traveling from Mabbug to Holob contains many hardships and difficulties, including paying bribes to government checkpoints personnel.

Al-Issa narrated an incident that took place this month at Al-Tayha, saying:

“On the bus, we had a heart disease patient from Kobani accompanied with his wife. The officer took their identity cards and after waiting for about an hour, he asked them to return to their home. When the man tried to explain his health condition and his need to reach his doctor is in Holob. The officer insulted him, threatening to arrest him and his wife if they did not return back.”

Al-Tayha is the only border crossing that connects the areas controlled by the Syrian regime with the city of Mabbug.