Reports | 25 05 2020
Salah al-Assi, leader of one of the "Shabeeha" groups in Hama, has recently purchased the "Farah" [joy] fuel station for 85 million [Syrian] Pounds. This is in addition to considering purchasing another, less-valued station; embarking on the construction of a modern style cafe in the Masyaf countryside; not to mention his three-storied villa in his native village of "Tayr-Jamleh."
A Masyaf resident says: "Today, we live at the mercy of his men; tomorrow we will be at his mercy for our fuel."
Dozens of "thugs" work under his command, including retired security elements. Part of al-Assi's wealth came from robberies carried out in the Hama countryside; whereas the rest came from kidnappings in the Hama and Homs countrysides. A girl was kidnapped from near the village of Houla in the Masyaf countryside, and held in an animal shed, for example. Several young people were kidnapped from the city of Masyaf, then ransomed for large amounts reaching more than five million [Syrian] Pounds for some kidnappees.
Those working under him have reached the point of kidnapping anyone daring to be present on the streets at night. For example, Provincial Council member, "Turki Saqr," was kidnapped in the city of Masyaf at gunpoint and taken to a remote area, and robbed of all his money. Al-Assi's thugs stopped a taxi driver, who also is employee at the [government-owned and run] automated bakery from the village of Rusafa near Masyaf, and murdered him after robbing him of all he had on him.
Despite his group not being afraif of any superior authority, they still put on an Aleppo dialect when speaking to kidnappees' families, in an effort to camouflage their identity. One person close to a recently released kidnappee says: "Their pretend-Aleppo accent was very poorly performed, that it did not fool anyone."
No One Looms Larger in the Region Than Al-Assi!
Salah al-Assi received vast powers with the beginning of the Syrian Revolution. No official body dares stand up to him—not even the Masyaf State Security detachment. He appropriated a piece of land belonging to the Security detachment; with neither the detachment's chief nor his soldiers succeeding in convincing al-Assi to vacate it. Many officials, such as the Mayor tried to intervene—only to be threatened by al-Assi. The Mayor was forced to seek help of a senior officer, whose best efforts merely secured al-Assi's pledge to ensure the Mayor's personal safety. The piece of land became al-Assi's de facto property.
In light of the economic and security crisis in the city of Masyaf, he became the single most powerful influence in the city. A young Masyaf resident mocking Assi says: "Control of Masyaf is too little for you—Even controlling all of Syria is too puny for you!"
Many Other "al-Assis!"
Masyaf has many nouveaux riches, those who suddenly became overnight millionaires after years of abject poverty. Walid Teba and his brothers, who used to work in construction as manual laboreres, now own apartments and a modern cafe. Bassem, from the village of Baareen now rides the latest-model car, has an apartment and a huge commercial store. He has retired combat devoting himself to "business." Another has just bought a piece of land in the city Salhab for five million [Syrian] Pounds, to construct his villa and started his own automotive trade business.
As for Riyad from the village of Mazyanah, death did not await him to finish construction of his sumptuous villa; his body was covered in his [death] shroud before his home was even finished. Al-Assi, however, remains number one in terms of his wealth and power. Says a young Masyaf resident, mockingly addressing al-Assi: "You are not the only—but you certainly are the best!"