Amid considerable security chaos and inaction by relevant authorities | Robberies escalate dramatically in Deir Ezzor city

Deir Ezzor province: SOHR activists have reported an unprecedented escalation of thefts and armed robberies targeting public and private property in Deir Ezzor city. This has sparked broad public anger over the security authorities' failure to curb a phenomenon that has been threatening the safety and lives of the city's residents for months.

SOHR activists have reported that the neighborhoods of Al-Qusour, Al-Sina'a and Sheikh Yassin experienced scores of "organized robberies" targeting homes and shops. Residents confirmed that thefts are no longer limited to nighttime hours but now they are committed in broad daylight, amid a complete absence of strict security measures or effective patrols to deter perpetrators. Ironically, criminals are moving comfortably, exploiting what locals call a "deliberate laxity" by authorities supposed to be responsible for the area's security.

This dramatic escalation coincides with sever economic hardship and extreme poverty in the city, as well as the massive destruction of infrastructure and lack of street lighting in most neighborhoods. These factors have turned the city into a breeding ground for organized crime.

Residents of Deir Ezzor demand urgent intervention by relevant authorities to prosecute the gangs plundering their property. They warn that continued collapse of the security system has made many to think of displacement or closing their shops for fear of losses. However, these demands remain unheeded.