Syria: Former Terrorist Commander Escapes to Turkey with Large Amount of Money

A notorious commander of Faylaq al-Rahman in Eastern Ghouta left Syria for Turkey, taking away a hefty amount of money following eruption of differences over militants' share of historical artifacts looted from the region, local sources disclosed on Sunday.

News ID: 70897

Date: 24 June 2018 - 14:55

TEHRAN (Defapress)-The sources said that Abu Tariq al-Sheifouni, a former commander of Faylaq al-Rahman in Eastern Ghouta escaped to Turkey via the town of Sheran in Northeastern Afrin in Aleppo province with $150,000 of the terrorist group's assets.

The sources further said that al-Shifouni's escape came after differences erupted between al-Shifouni and Chief Commander of Faylaq al-Rahman Abdul Nasser Shamir over distribution of a large amount of money and historical artifacts stolen from a Jewish church in Jobar region in Eastern Ghouta.

Other sources confirmed that Faylaq commanders had engaged in clashes in Afrin over their share of artifacts looted from Eastern Ghouta.

Kurdish-language Hawar news quoted Salahuddin Sino, a member of Afrin Artifact Department, as saying earlier this month that the army and Ankara-backed militants were looting historical artifacts of Roza Site in the village of Tarmisha in Shih region in Afrin.

He further told Hawar news that the Ankara forces forced the villagers to leave the region and do not allow anyone to return to the region.

Sino said that the Turkish forces embarked on excavation operation in the entire historical areas in Roza Site and stole valuable artifacts.

Sino further pointed to the destruction of tens of historical sites in Afrin, adding that the army destroyed has fifty percent of Tal Ayndara Temple, which is one of the most important historical sites in Afrin listed in the UNESCO list, in the early days of aggression against the Kurds in Northwestern Aleppo.

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