Syria's Financing To Rebuild, Part V

Nadene Goldfoot                                                    

    Damascus, Syria;  Decembeer 21, 2024.  

Rebuilding Syria is estimated to cost at least $216 billion, according to a late 2025 World Bank report, with some estimates ranging up to $343 billion or even over $400 billion, representing a massive undertaking nearly ten times the country's pre-war GDP, covering infrastructure, economic revival, and addressing deep-seated damage from years of conflict.  Yet Jolani is asking for 7 trillion dollars for the work.  That's what you do in the Middle East, start with a large number and then come down to an satisfactory number for both.  

                      Damascus, before the Civil War

Syria is left as a fractured nation recovering from a long civil war, characterized by massive displacement, severe economic hardship, destroyed infrastructure, and ongoing instability, with a new government facing challenges integrating diverse armed groups and addressing persistent humanitarian crises, particularly in the northeast (Kurdish-controlled SDF) and south (Druze areas). While the Assad regime fell in late 2024, large parts of the country remain contested, with the Kurdish-led SDF holding significant territory and ISIS remnants persisting, leading to internal conflict and fragile security. It seems like they have to get rid of ISIS.  

The Bible, primarily in Isaiah 17,; Isaiah was a prophet of 740-701 BCE, who prophesies the destruction of Damascus, stating it will cease to be a city and become a heap of ruins, its royal power ending, with only remnants left like Israel's faded glory. Other prophets, including Jeremiah and Amos, also foretold divine judgment on Damascus for its cruelty, mentioning fire consuming its palaces and its people falling in the streets. These prophecies connect Damascus's fall with the judgment of Israel, ultimately leading the remnant to turn back to God. "God will punish the nations near Israel.   Amos 1:3-2:3: Amos was a prophet from Judea in the 8h cent.BCE The Lord says, ‘The people in Damascus have done more and more wrong things. So I will certainly punish them!

"Yes from the heart" - posters of President Bashar al-Assad are everywhere in government-controlled parts of Syria

They have been cruel to the people in Gilead. They used their iron weapons to tear them into pieces.  I will send a fire to destroy the palace that King Hazael built. It will destroy the strong buildings of King Ben-Hadad.  I will also break the strong gates of the city of Damascus. I will remove all the people who live in the Aven valley. I will remove the king of Beth-Eden. Their enemies will take the people of Syria far away to Kir as prisoners.’ That is what the Lord says.

So now we're repeating some of the same problems we had in 800 BCE, 10 centuries ago.  But we see Damascus being much larger and some still standing.  

Life in Damascus today is a complex mix of post-war normalcy, ongoing economic hardship, and vibrant cultural resilience, with people navigating shortages through queues and cash-based systems while enjoying burgeoning arts scenes, though security remains a concern for travelers, as the conflict officially ended in late 2024 but instability persists. 

Syrian reactions to the October 7th attacks were mixed, with the Assad regime blaming Israel for regional instability and condemning its response, while opposition-held areas saw large-scale protests expressing solidarity with Gaza, juxtaposing their own suffering under the regime with the Palestinian plight. Militant groups linked to Iran fired rockets from Syria into Israel, prompting Israeli strikes on Syrian targets, though Syria largely remained quiet otherwise as the conflict expanded, impacting aid to Syrians. 

• Rocket Fire: Iranian-backed groups in Syria fired rockets into Israel, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Syrian military targets. 

Broader Impacts

• Regional Spillover: The conflict exacerbated existing regional tensions, drawing Syria into the broader Iran-Israel confrontation.
• Aid Diversion: The war in Gaza threatened to divert crucial international aid away from Syria, compounding existing humanitarian crises there, noted The New Humanitarian.
• Resource; 
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68684068
•  https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/international-reactions-hamas-attack-israel#:~:text=Around%20the%20globe%2C%20representatives%20of,immediate%20de%2Descalation%20of%2 0violence.
• Syrian Contact

Syria's Terrorist's Professional Crypto Currency Thievery, Part IV

 Nadene Goldfoot                                       

While there are no credible reports of the Syrian state (government) itself stealing cryptocurrency, there are extensive reports of terrorist organizations operating within Syria using and obtaining cryptocurrency for illicit financing, and reports of the Syrian government engaging in other forms of financial theft, such as siphoning humanitarian aid funds. 

Humanitarian aid funds and materials have been consistently siphoned, stolen, or diverted by terrorist organizations to finance operations, pay combatants, and procure weapons. Evidence indicates this is a systematic issue, particularly in conflict zones like Gaza, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia, where groups such as Hamas, Al-Qaeda affiliates, and Al-Shabaab exploit aid distribution systems. 

• A Syrian national was charged with diverting over $9 million in U.S.-funded aid intended for civilians to the Al-Nusrah Front, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group.  WASHINGTON – Mahmoud Al Hafyan, 53, a Syrian national, has been charged in a 12-count indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, alleging major fraud against the United States for illegally diverting more than $9 million in U.S.-funded humanitarian aid intended for Syrian civilians to armed combatant groups, including the Al-Nusrah Front (ANF), which is a designated foreign terrorist organization affiliated with al-Qaida in Iraq.  Hmm, just the ticket for the former terrorist Jolani to direct this job.  

Terrorist Financing in Syria via Crypto 

Various terrorist and militant groups in Syria, including Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and those linked to the Islamic State(ISIS)  and al-Qa`ida, have used digital currencies to raise, move, and hide funds. 

• Fundraising and Donations: These groups often use social media and messaging platforms to solicit cryptocurrency donations.
• Money Service Businesses (MSBs): Informal MSBs and "BitcoinTransfer" shops in areas like Idlib have acted as central hubs, allowing individuals to buy, sell, and launder cryptocurrencies for cash, which then funds these organizations.  Idlib refers to a city and governorate in northwestern Syria, famously known as the last major stronghold for Syrian opposition forces (rebels and jihadists) against President Bashar al-Assad's government, becoming a focal point for intense conflict, massive displacement of civilians, and humanitarian crises, with the Syrian government and its allies launching major offensives to retake the strategically important region bordering Turkey. 
•  Of course, Jolani the al Qaeda terrorist has become President of Syria and can use Idlib for his shenanigans.  
• Disruptions: Law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Justice Department, have successfully tracked, seized, and disrupted these financing campaigns by covertly operating websites and seizing accounts. 

Syrian Government Financial Misconduct 

Reports indicate the Syrian government has been involved in significant financial misconduct, though not specifically "stealing" cryptocurrency in the way the user might be thinking: 

• Aid Theft: The Assad regime and the Central Bank of Syria are reported to have siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid by manipulating the local currency exchange rates, making UN contracts a major source of revenue for the government.
• Extortion: The government and its officials have been accused of extorting millions of dollars in bribes from families of detainees in exchange for information or release, often through informal payment methods. 

In summary, while the Syrian government has engaged in large-scale financial crimes, the theft of cryptocurrency is primarily associated with non-state actors and terrorist groups within the country like al Qaeda, or state actors from different countries like North Korea. 

In November 2024, a coalition of Syrian rebels mounted several offensives with the intention of ousting Assad. On the morning of 8 December, as rebel troops first entered Damascus, Assad fled to Moscow and was granted political asylum by the Russian government.  You can be sure he took with him a bag of crypto currency, possibly like 18 billion dollars worth like a Santa Clause, to make the trip his grand finale.  

In an interview with The New York Times in April 2025, Syrian president Jolani/Ahmed al-Sharaa said that Syrian officials requested Russia to extradite Assad as a condition for allowing their military presence in Syria, but Russia refused.

On 20 September 2025, while in exile in Moscow, Assad was hospitalized in critical condition. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has alleged he was poisoned in his home, though not specifying whether this was intentional or accidental. He was eventually discharged nine days later. On 13 October 2025, Lavrov denied reports that Assad was poisoned, saying Russia granted asylum to Assad and his family for humanitarian reasons and that Assad “has no issues living in our capital.”

Resource:

https://oig.usaid.gov/node/7283#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%93%20Mahmoud%20Al%20Hafyan%2C%2053,held%20accountable%20for%20these%20crimes.%E2%80%9D

https://www.google.com/search?q=+Reuters%2C+18+billion+dollars+stolen+in+cripto+currency&sca_esv=e4930b54a8b6c4ed&sxsrf=ANbL-n60YmjgVDEX5_trWi2FhvePaFCljw%3A1768597329207&source=hp&ei=UadqadbbCbGl0PEPzI3MoAU

https://www.google.com/search?q=Syria+stealing+crypto+currency&sca_esv=e4930b54a8b6c4ed&sxsrf=ANbL-n7JsJrbJ8zqKEoTgwSS2QbBSvuNCw%3A1768597566275&source=hp&ei=PqhqacO8DvXL0PEPhruRsA8&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaWq2T

https://www.cnas.org/publications/commentary/cryptocurrency-in-the-war-zone-a-closer-look-at-recent-events-in-syria#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20crypto%20nexus,leading%20to%20the%20regime's%20collapse.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Idlib&sca_esv=e4930b54a8b6c4ed&sxsrf=ANbL-n6vtaoAcP_WeRs10y_to6yBVsZ8JA%3A1768598258158&source=hp&ei=8qpqab3FB_C_0PEPjJvLsQM&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaWq5At51zMcfzEYyWGzhZreNaifuAi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bashar_al-Assad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9FDVayJSB8

Syrian Contact

Sanctions on Syria Part III

 Nadene Goldfoot                                          

    Syrian opposition fighters celebrate in Damascus [Omar Sanadiki/AP Photo]  On 8 December 2024, Syrian opposition fighters have taken over the presidential palace in Damascus after a rapid offensive that seized control of the capital and sent crowds into the streets to celebrate the end of the al-Assad family’s 53-year rule of father, then son.

Seems like America was happy to see Assad gone and don't care a hoot whohas taken over the "throne." What can happen is that the next replacement can turn out to be worse, and that's what has happened according to my source.  He said that Jolani makes Assad look like an angel compared to him;  he's cruel.  The people in fact are not yet happy.

      Assad's Palace:  A scruffy rebel guide gave the reporter a tour
  

The United States and its allies recently provided a list of conditions for continued sanctions relief for Syria, which align with a broader framework for stability, but there is no formal, publicly announced "10-point plan" that requires 8 specific points for full removal.

 Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and the establishment of a new government, most comprehensive U.S. and E.U. sanctions have already been lifted or suspended.

       

Jolani has reverted to his birth name, Ahmed al-Shara,

BALKIS PRESS/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

 

The remaining U.S. sanctions (under the new Promoting Accountability for Assad and Regional Stabilization Sanctions or PAARSS program) target specific individuals and entities associated with the former Assad regime, human rights abusers, and terrorist groups, not the country as a whole. 

The conditions the U.S. has outlined for the permanent lifting of all remaining sanctions and restrictions (such as those under the Caesar Act, which has since been repealed, and removing Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation) include general policy priorities and specific actions: 

• 1.Elimination of remaining chemical weapons stores and cooperation with international monitors.
• 2. Cooperation on counter-terrorism efforts, including removing foreign fighters from senior government roles.
• 3. Assistance in locating missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice by appointing a liaison.
• 4. Adherence to human rights standards and accountability for war crimes.
• 5. Commitment to regional peace and stability, including potentially normalizing relations with Israel.
• 6. Support for the safe and voluntary return of displaced Syrians. 

The new Syrian government, under President Ahmed al-Sharaa/ Jolani, has taken some initial positive steps that led to the initial lifting of most sanctions, such as releasing political prisoners and cooperating on certain issues. Continued U.S. policy will depend on further progress on these conditions. 

The new government in Damascus has taken serious steps to crack down on Syria’s use as a transit hub for Iranian and Hezbollah weapons and money, in sharp contrast to the Assad regime. It has also worked against IS—as far back as 2013, Jolani/Sharaa had a serious rift with the group’s predecessor, the Islamic State of Iraq—and has even cooperated with Washington on a number of targeted operations. Syria has also created a military unit specifically to incorporate the foreign fighters who were part of the forces that overthrew Assad. The State Department, in revoking Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation in July, agreed with Sharaa, the group’s leader, that it had disbanded.

Ayman, a well-dressed middle-aged local, said he was walking his dog, a bichon frise, when he saw  Jolani’s brother Maher, Jolani himself, and the four bodyguards drive up on Sunday. They spent half an hour gossiping, before Jolani went up to his apartment. “He was asking about the neighbours,” Aymen said. “Who was still there, who had left.” The three men took selfies, for old time’s sake.  I wouldn't feel safe living in that building now.  

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/12/8/opposition-fighters-seize-al-assad-presidential-palace-in-syrias-damascus

https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/abu-mohammed-al-jolani-syrian-leader-xx-9z3lbktjg#:~:text=Ayman%2C%20a%20well%2Ddressed%20middle,selfies%2C%20for%20old%20time's%20sake.

Syrian Contact