In the aftermath of the Assad regime’s collapse, Syria entered a fragile but historic period of transition. Among the many legacies of conflict and authoritarian rule, few are as far-reaching – or as politically charged – as the systematic violation of housing, land, and property (HLP) rights. This crisis, rooted in decades of legal manipulation and governance by coercion, intensified dramatically after 2011.
Under the pretexts of redevelopment, counterterrorism, and national interest, the Assad regime and its allies deployed a vast legal and bureaucratic arsenal to displace communities, demolish neighbourhoods, loot properties, confiscate land, and reassign ownership. What appeared on paper as lawful planning or security policy was, in practice, a deliberate strategy to punish dissent, reward loyalty, and reengineer the country’s demographic and political landscape.
