Watad Petroleum

Watad Petroleum is a company that imports petroleum from Turkey to rebel-held areas of northwestern Syria, where it is based. It was founded in the largely rebel-held Idlib Governorate in 2017 and is thought to be owned by the Salafi jihadist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Watad Petroleum
TypeState-owned enterprise
IndustryFuel importation and processing
FoundedJanuary 2017
Headquarters
Samarda, Idlib Governorate
,
Syria
Owner

History

The company was established in 2017, reportedly shortly after the foundation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which is believed to own the company.[1] Watad had sourced petroleum from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria until early 2018, when Turkey launched a military operation which cut trade routes between the Autonomous Administration and HTS. Watad then began dealing with an unnamed Turkish company which sourced petroleum from Ukraine via the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing. In January 2018, the company was granted a monopoly over the importation, processing and pricing of fuel in areas controlled by the Syrian Salvation Government.[1][2]

In January 2019, Watad began sending gas cylinders and petroleum to areas held by the Syrian government after fuel shortages were experienced.[3]

In November 2019, HTS arrested one of its commanders over a disagreement with Watad. The company demanded that locals selling oil work on behalf of Watad and trade exclusively in Watad products, and threatened to use force if compliance was not met.[4]

On 18 July 2020, suicide drones launched from government areas attacked Watad's fuel market in Sarmada.[5] On 31 July, the market was hit by three Grad rockets, causing several fires to break out. In retaliation, opposition and jihadist groups shelled government forces.[6]

References
  1. Hagedorn, Elizabeth (6 December 2019). "Idlib facing harsh winter as Syrian offensive chokes off fuel supplies". Middle East Eye.
  2. Haid, Haid (June 6, 2019). "Watad: The oil company that came from nowhere and became a key player in Syria".
  3. "HTS sending trucks of "gas cylinders" to Syrian regime-held areas". Call Syria. January 27, 2019.
  4. "After he rejected domination of "Watad Company" over civilians' burners .. HTS arrests one of its commanders in Idlib countryside • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". November 29, 2019.
  5. "Russia enters areas of Turkish influence for "settling scores"". Enab Baladi. 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
  6. "Coronavirus Increases Risks of Displacement". The Syrian Observer. 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
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