Policy paper "The Muslim Treasury and Minorities"

Al-Ghanayem office “The Muslim treasury, or Bayt Almal”, an office of the Syrian Salvation Government that is administratively affiliated with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham “formerly al-Nusra”, and its mission is to seize all real estate and lands belonging to figures loyal to the regime, or any non-resident figure in Idlib governorate. This office was established in 2016 under the supervision of the preacher Abdullah Al-Muhaysn. This office provided high revenues for the Salvation Government, affiliated with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, to become a financial resource in addition to the rest of this government’s sources.

However, the properties of many dissident Sunni Muslims who do not reside in Idlib, have not been affected. Their properties are now managed by their relatives, having power of attorney from the owner of the property. On the other hand, such arrangement was forbidden to Christians, Druze, and Alawites, as their properties were confiscated. The properties were distributed to the displaced Sunni families, on the condition that the latter provide 40% of their agricultural production to the Muslim treasury as a kind of tax.

Of course, the empty homes of Christians and Druze were also handed over to displaced Muslims, and the original owners did not receive any rent. Luxurious houses became properties of the princes and leaders of the Islamic battalions.