Return of Farmers to Idlib and Hama Generates Legal Disputes Over Land Property and Use

Following the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, many displaced individuals in northern Syria have returned to their hometowns and agricultural lands in Hama and Idlib. Farmers are individually reclaiming their properties, often with the support of local military forces to assert ownership and evict those who took over their lands.

In recent years, many of these agricultural lands were auctioned off to investors. So far, there have been no documented instances of resistance from these investors, possibly due to fear of consequences, acceptance of the new reality, or an implicit acknowledgment of the returnees’ rights.

Previously classified as vacant by the Assad regime’s Ministry of Local Administration and Services, these lands were offered for investment through public auctions after their original owners were forcibly displaced. This systematic process began in 2020 and continued until the regime’s fall.

For instance, farmer Ahmad Al-Khalif returned from the Qaah camps to find his one-hectare plot in Mhardeh had been cultivated with anise. He negotiated with the investor who had been using his land, ultimately reclaiming it along with a lease for an adjacent hectare for ten years without charge. They formalized their agreement with a registered lease contract.

Other farmers from Khan Sheikhoun expressed intentions to sue previous investors, claiming they were denied a share of agricultural yields despite having paid investment fees.

A significant challenge for those reclaiming pistachio orchards is revitalizing the trees, which take about 15 years to mature. Majed Qutayni found that many of his 350 pistachio trees had died due to neglect by investors focused solely on profit. He has begun removing dead trees and replanting to restore productivity.

Qutayni’s situation is common; many pistachio trees on previously invested lands have withered due to lack of care. Investors were not held accountable for maintaining the land.

In 2022, a lawyer from Homs invested in Qutayni’s land, which was managed by his uncle under regime control. Now, Qutayni seeks compensation from his uncle, but he prefers to resolve the matter amicably rather than through legal means.

Unlike the pistachio harvest, which was already collected before the regime’s fall, farmers returning to western Hama towns like Kafr Nabudah found their lands planted with crops awaiting harvest, such as potatoes. These lands had been leased through public auctions for the 2024–2025 season. The returning owners harvested and sold the potatoes without objections from investors, some of whom are now being asked for compensation.

Additionally, ten farmers from northern Idlib have begun planting soft wheat in the Ghab Plain, reclaiming land previously taken over by a regime officer since 2015. They plan to seek compensation for the past years when circumstances allow.

The return of farmers in Idlib and Hama highlights a changing landscape of property rights and restitution, marked by negotiations and potential legal disputes with former investors. However, challenges persist in rehabilitating the land, securing compensation, and restoring agricultural production after years of neglect.