Al-Hirak, Syria

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Al-Hirak
الحراك
Town
UTC+3 (EEST
)

Al-Hirak (

Izra' to the northeast. According to the 2004 census by the Central Bureau of Statistics, al-Hirak had a population of 20,760.[1] Its inhabitants are predominantly Muslims.[2]
It was inhabited by families most of whom came from the Hijaz in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and settled there, such as Al-Zamil, Al-Salamat and Abu Salem, and all of whom belong to the Onaizah tribe spread in the Arabian Peninsula and Syria. Among its most important features is the ancient mosque, once a Christian monastery and before that a pagan temple for the worship of Baal, the sun god.

History

In 1596 Al-Hirak appeared in the

nahiya of Bani Malik al-Asraf in the Qada Hawran. It had an entirely Muslim population consisting of 61 households and 31 bachelors. They paid a fixed tax-rate of 40% on agricultural products, including wheat, barley, summer crops, goats and bee-hives, in addition to occasional revenues; a total of 16,000 akçe.[3] Just to the west was al Harak al-Garbi; with a population of 17 households and 3 bachelors, also all Muslim. They also had a 40% tax-rate on agricultural products, and produced the same products. Their total tax was 3,600 akçe, and part of the income went to a waqf.[3]

In 1838 it was noted as being south of

Sunni Muslim population. Nearby Al Harak al-Garbi, later called Deir es Sult, was noted as deserted.[2][4]

Syrian civil war

During the Syrian civil war, al-Hirak has served as a base for the opposition forces of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). On March 6, 2012 the town was severely damaged during clashes between the Syrian Army and the FSA, a fighting that was described by the United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as "very intense." Residential areas and the Abu Bakr al-Saddiq Mosque -serving as military base for the rebels- were reportedly hit by Syrian Army shells.[5] During the battle, the FSA ambushed a Syrian Army armored carrier, killing five soldiers. A 15-year-old boy was reported to be killed after being allegedly shot by a government sniper.[6] "Mosque al-Herak" is named on the Global Heritage Fund listing of damages to Syrian cultural heritage due to the military operations.[7]

In July 2012 about 4,000 residents living in the south of Al-Hirak fled to neighboring cities in Syria or Jordan.[8] On August 22, 2012, France 24 reported that the Syrian army had begun a campaign against Al-Hirak that led to a fierce battle.[citation needed] On August 24, 2012, the FSA withdrew from the town.[citation needed] On November 12 and 13, 2012, the town was reported as having a rebel presence and being shelled by the army.[citation needed] On May 3, 2013, it was reported that the base of the 52 mechanized brigade of the 9th Division was shelling the area of Khirbet Ghazala and Al-Hirak[9] On June 9, 2015, the FSA captured the second largest military base in the Daraa Governorate located east of the town.[10] On June 28, 2018, several locations were

deserted by rebel forces in sequence: Battalion 49 Base, Alma, Al-Hirak, Battalion 279 Base, Al-Sourah.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Daraa Governorate. (in Arabic)
  2. ^ a b Smith; in Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Second appendix, B, p. 151
  3. ^ a b Hütteroth and Abdulfattah, 1977, p. 213
  4. ^ Smith; in Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Second appendix, B, p. 112
  5. ^ Syrian government forces 'shell rebel-held towns'. BBC News. 2012-03-06. Retrieved on 2012-03-06.
  6. ^ Syrian troops shell village in assault on army defectors. The Guardian. 2012-03-06. Retrieved on 2012-03-06.
  7. ^ Damage to the soul: Syria's cultural heritage in conflict (Archived July 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine)
  8. ^ "Displaced Syrians in Jordan: 'Syria Smells of Death' - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". www.al-monitor.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-08.
  9. ^ "Safwat Al Zayat – Al Raqqa and large number of killed”, Al Jazeera, May 3, 2013.
  10. ^ Syrian rebels capture army base in south: rebels, monitor
  11. ^ https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/rebels-abandon-several-areas-in-east-daraa-as-syrian-troops-advance Archived 2019-06-21 at the Wayback Machine, AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2018-06-28.

Bibliography

External links

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