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Public Anger over Urban Expansion at the Expense of Qudsaya’s Lands and Farms
Qudsaya suburb and its surrounding areas in the Damascus countryside have witnessed a rise in tensions over disputes related to land ownership and real estate projects being developed in the area. Land and farm owners have objected to what they describe as unfair expropriation measures carried out under the guise of investment and urban development.
According to circulating reports, protesters halted machinery operating at project sites before organizing a protest march toward the offices of **Sham View** and **Abyat Hills**, demanding that construction work be suspended until ownership issues are resolved and landowners receive fair compensation.
According to local residents, the objections focus on eviction notices issued by local authorities and municipalities—including the al-Saboura Municipality—in favor of large-scale investment projects. The most prominent of these include the **Abyat Hills** project in the al-Bajaa area, in addition to the **Sham View** project.
Landowners say that parts of these projects are being built on properties they own under official title deeds. Some also reportedly received expropriation orders or compensation offers that, in their view, do not reflect the actual value of the land or the scale of the losses resulting from their eviction.
Residents have also expressed concern that urban expansion could reduce the remaining agricultural and green spaces in the western Damascus countryside, transforming open land and farms into concrete developments without clear guarantees to protect the rights of property owners and longtime residents.
The protesters are calling for the temporary suspension of eviction procedures and construction work, as well as direct dialogue with landowners. They are also demanding the disclosure of the contracts, plans, and assessment and compensation mechanisms adopted for these projects.
As of yet, the relevant authorities and investing companies have not issued a detailed official statement regarding the protests or the allegations concerning land ownership and compensation. Previous media reports had warned of rising tensions in the area as a result of real estate projects being built on land owned by local residents, amid the absence of publicly announced agreements safeguarding their interests.
