Barzeh, Syria

Barzeh
بَرْزَة
Municipality
Barzeh as seen from Mount Qasioun
District map of Damascus
Barzeh
Barzeh
Coordinates: 33°33′24″N 36°19′14″E / 33.55667°N 36.32056°E / 33.55667; 36.32056
Country Syria
GovernorateDamascus Governorate
CityDamascus
Population
 (2004)[1]
 • Total
47,339
Time zoneUTC+3 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (EEST)
ClimateBSk

Barzeh or Barza (Arabic: بَرْزَة, romanized: Barzah, also transliterated Berzé) is a municipality and a neighborhood to the north of Damascus, Syria.[2] According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Barzeh had a population of 47,339 in the 2004 census.[1]

History

Barzeh's foundation dates back to at least Roman times. There is archaeological evidence of Roman and Aramean tombs in the area. Traditionally, it has always been a town of the Ghouta and, therefore, closely linked to agriculture. Rice, oil and olives, and various types of fruit were produced. Barzeh was recorded as Berze on a Tahrir Defter record in 1535; its population at the time consisted of 38 households, 4 bachelors, and a khatib.[3] In the 20th century, it was absorbed into Damascus.

Syrian Civil War

The municipality had been active in the Syrian civil war. The Sunni Arab Barzeh al-Balad neighborhood was largely pro-rebel. However, the neighboring Alawite "slum" Ish al-Warwar was largely pro-government.[4][5] The Barzeh area had been under truce between the rebels and government since 2014.[4][6]

On 1 April 2015, the rebels (Jaish al-Islam and the Free Syrian Army's First Brigade) launched a military campaign to expel the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from the Barzeh and Qaboun neighborhoods,[7][8] which succeeded three days later.[9] On 8 February 2016, an IS car bomb targeting a government officer's club killed eight people in Masakin Barzeh.[10] On 29 May 2017, the Syrian government regained control of the entire district.[11]

But on the night of Dec 7 and early hours of Dec 8, 2024, amid the lightning 2024 Syrian opposition offensives, some residents claimed Syrian rebels(or their recon units) already gained a foothold in Barzeh during the Battle of Damascus.[12]

Neighborhoods

  • Al-Abbas (pop. 23,112)
  • Barza al-Balad (pop. 31,634)
  • Ish al-Warwar (pop. 20,458)
  • Al-Manara (pop. 10,199)
  • Masakin Barzeh (pop. 15,705)
  • An-Nuzha (pop. 6,488)

Population

  • 1922: 2000 inhabitants
  • 1935: 3500 inhabitants
  • 1950: 4,239 inhabitants
  • 1960: 6554 inhabitants
  • 2004: 47,339 inhabitants

Education

The Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology has its main campus in the Hameesh area[13] of Barzeh.

References

  1. ^ a b Damascus city population
  2. ^ Khaled Yacoub Oweis (18 July 2012). "Battles break out near Syrian presidential palace". Reuters. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  3. ^ "401 NUMARALI ŞAM LİVASI MUFASSAL TAHRÎR DEFTERİ (942/1535)" (PDF). Devlet Arsivleri. 2011. p. 172. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  4. ^ a b Lina Sinjab (18 January 2014). "In Syria, few conciliatory signs as peace talks loom". BBC. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  5. ^ Nir Rosen (12 October 2011). "Assad's Alawites: An Entrenched Community". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  6. ^ Joshua Hersh (26 February 2014). "Syrian Government Sees An End Game, Block By Block". Huffington Post. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  7. ^ "ISIS encroaches on east Damascus". NOW. 17 April 2015. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Damascus: Islam Army attacks ISIS bases in Qaboun, Barzeh neighborhoods". Zaman al-Wasl. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Syrian rebels defeat ISIS in Damascus". Ara News. 20 April 2015. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  10. ^ Anne Barnard (9 February 2015). "ISIS, in a First, Says It Was Behind Attack in Syrian Capital". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Evacuation of rebels from Damascus district complete, city governor says". Reuters. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Rebels appear to have entered Damascus, resident says, as Assad regime's defenses collapse".CNN, Dec 7, 2024; ""The rebels are in Barzeh," a neighborhood inside Damascus city, the resident told CNN, adding that clashes were currently taking place."
  13. ^ "HIAST". Facebook. Retrieved 18 April 2018.


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