I have an auto repair shop at the industrial area of al-Qaboun district. A month ago without any advance notice, the Syrian army came with a single tank and 10 bulldozers and began to level the shops where I work.

They arrested a few shops owners who dared to question the reason behind the destruction. They were taken to the Air Force Intelligence branch.

More than 500 shops have been levelled up to now and the destruction is still going on. Every time the Syrian army come, they level about 20 shops to come back again after. I did not dare to say a single word though my shop was one of the first to be levelled. I felt it is useless and will end in jail.

We were working inside the shops when the army cam and said: "You have to leave. We will start to destroy shops, leave everything and go away." They did not give us any deadline to evacuate and save what we had.

We all have these shops in a legal way and have documents to prove that they are either owned or rented. Those owners who were detained are still in jail. I cannot mention names for their safety. There are few houses adjacent to the shops that were levelled too.

We believe the reason behind the destruction is to clear the area as it is close to the Air Force Intelligence branch. The other reason is that the shops owners are supporting the FSA financially. FSA men would come to the shops owners and ask for their help – not by force but willingly. All the shop owners donate money in support of the revolution. It is a mass punishment for all the people who work in the industrial district in al-Qaboun.

There are informants who work in the shops and collaborate with the Syrian army. They are paid for their work by the Syrian army. They tipped off the Syrian army who came to take revenge.

I myself could not donate a penny, I'm not that rich and hardly can afford the living of my family. But I know that some of the owners have paid like 50,000-100,000 Syrian pounds ($740-$1,480). Sometimes a few owners pay 300,000.

Now, I have no work to do after the destruction of my shop. My family is made up of five members but I know others who have even bigger families and they lost their shops too. The FSA tried to help us but they themselves need a help. FSA do not have that much money to help the families.

Still, the FSA gave me 10,000 Syrian pounds to get food for my family. I did not ask them but they offered to help. I cannot do anything to restore my shop as snipers are based in the area now. I'm looking for any work to do but still cannot find anything.