IDPs Return in Idlib Contingent on Reconstruction

Opposition forces, fighting under the “Deterrence of Aggression” operations room led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), regained control of the town of Maaret Harma in southern rural Idlib governorate on December 3. Displaced residents immediately began returning only to find the sheer scale of destruction left behind by regime forces.

Before the war, residents of the town, administratively part of the Maarat Al-Numan district, primarily relied on agriculture, especially olive and fig farming. According to the 2004 census, Maaret Harma had a population of approximately 7,000.

Regime forces seized the town in 2020 during their last military campaign in the Idlib province, forcing all residents to flee. Many sought refuge in displacement camps in northern Syria, particularly in the town of Killi, north of Idlib, while others migrated abroad. Regime forces, especially the 25th Special Mission Forces Division, implemented a systematic policy of looting homes, stripping buildings of reinforcement steel for resale—similar to what occurred in other towns near opposition frontlines in Idlib. 

A correspondent for The Syria Report, who entered the town, described it as nearly obliterated. After surveying several neighbourhoods and tallying damaged homes, he estimated that approximately 95 percent of houses and structures had been affected. Most homes are uninhabitable, leaving returnees deeply disappointed. Some even chose to return to displacement camps in Idlib, preferring to stay there until they can rebuild or repair what is left of their homes. Currently, there are no services or basic amenities to encourage a permanent return.

Hussein Al-Tawil, who returned to Maaret Harma on December 4, found his house intact and untouched by looting, along with six neighbouring homes. He explained that regime forces and Iranian militias had used these houses as bases, which protected them from being ransacked. Hussein noted that the militia occupying his house had converted its basement into a prison. The occupants left behind personal belongings and military equipment, indicating a hasty withdrawal.

The Zainabiyoun Brigade, affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), had turned another house in Maaret Harma into a base. Unlike Hussein’s house, this one was not preserved. The militia had dug a tunnel at least 15 metres deep under the building and fortified it with concrete barriers and guard posts.

They also repurposed some commercial shops, particularly at the town’s northern entrance, into garages for military vehicles, including tanks, and converted nearby homes into weapons depots. These weapons depots remain intact, posing a significant risk to residents due to potential explosions from unexploded ordnance.

Apart from these sites preserved for military and logistical purposes, the overall condition of Maaret Harma is catastrophic. All six schools in the town are destroyed, many missing roofs, doors, and windows. The same applies to the health clinic, the municipal building, the agricultural guidance centre, and the nine mosques. The two drinking water wells and the vertical pumping tank were looted, with their equipment stolen. Even wooden electricity poles were removed, transformers stolen, and the streets are riddled with potholes.

The town’s agricultural lands have also become barren. Militias deliberately cut down olive and fig trees, selling them as firewood. Many of these trees were centuries old and formed the main source of livelihood for residents. Restoring these lands will be challenging due to climate-related factors, and it will take a long time before they can resume agricultural production. This poses a significant obstacle for returning residents seeking stable livelihoods.