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Authorities seize water wells in Ain Menin and arrest protesters in rural Damascus
Residents of Ain Minnin in rural Damascus accused authorities of seizing the town’s water wells after teams from the Drinking Water Authority began dredging and cleaning a well on local land, sparking widespread protests that led to clashes with the Internal Security Forces on Friday evening. Residents say the works amount to an actual appropriation of the village’s resources and a threat to their property rights and access to water.
Local sources said protesters decried the “theft of land and wells” and demanded that control be returned to the town’s inhabitants, while official bodies described the operations as routine maintenance under the authority’s remit. Residents add that the measures were carried out without their full consent or transparent compensation, prompting some to obstruct work vehicles and clash with security personnel, resulting in injuries and arrests.
Families accused authorities of responding to civic demands with security measures and of ignoring local channels of dialogue, calling for an independent investigation, reconsideration of well ownership and management, and the inclusion of the local community in any future works to protect residents’ rights and access to water.
