Nordic Monitor report reveals Turkey’s theft of industrial equipment from Syria

Swedish outlet Nordic Monitor reported that Turkish businessman Murat Özvardar, who is close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, robbed Syria of a large portion of its wealth through looting industrial machinery from the areas under its occupation. The looting was facilitated by Syrian militias allied to the Turkish government.

The report states that Özvardar is accused of dismantling Syrian factories in Holeb (Aleppo) and transporting the equipment to Turkey. The Nordic Monitor report outlines documents that include accusations of looting factories and the purchase of agricultural products by force from local farmers.

Generators, transformers, metal plating, cables, and fuel tanks were stolen and transported to Turkey, in addition to the looting of agricultural crops in Rish Ayno (Ras al-Ayn).

According to the report, Özvardar’s wife, journalist Handy Virat, had previously worked for the Turkish intelligence agency and helped her husband expand his relations with the Turkish regime.