Directorate for Protection of Syriac–Assyrian and Armenian Property delegation visits Hasakah, North and East Syria

HASAKAH, North and East Syria — A delegation from the Directorate for the Protection of Syriac–Assyrian and Armenian Property visited the al-Hasakah municipality, offering congratulations to the newly appointed co-chairship and discussing coordination efforts with the municipality’s property department.

As part of ongoing efforts to enhance collaboration and coordination, the delegation, which included officials from the Directorate and representatives of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) and Armenian communities, met with municipal leaders to discuss ways to improve direct cooperation on property-related issues.

During the meeting, delegates raised concerns from local residents regarding property rights and public services, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts to protect the rights of all communities and promote institutional cooperation in the city.

The visit reflects a broader initiative aimed at strengthening partnerships between civil and community-based institutions, fostering greater inclusivity and ensuring fair governance in Hasakah.

Directorate for Protection of Syriac–Assyrian and Armenian Property

Established in 2014, the Directorate operates within the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES). Its primary mission is to safeguard and manage properties belonging to individuals from the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) and Armenian communities who have left the region.

Our newsdesk has been informed of several cases of expropriation of private properties by the DAARNES authorities, immigrants to the region, and individuals with self-interested intentions. It is of existential importance for the future of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community in Syria that property is respected. It is estimated that Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans) still own between 40%-50% of the land and real estate in the Gozarto (Jazira) Canton, a ratio that has decreased significantly the last three decades.

As time passes and unrest and violent conflict persist, the risk for emigrated Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldean) having their property transferred into wrongful hands increases. The Directorate tries to ensure that these properties are neither misappropriated nor illegally occupied during the owners’ absence.