JUNE

2017 DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

Photo By : Mohannad Alkhalidiya

20 /06/ 2017

The Demographic Change & Forced Displacement in Syria

Homs - Damascus & its Rural - Aleppo & its rural

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Table of Content

Homs Governorate Forced Displacement 01

Baba Amr 03

Karm Al-Zeitoun 04

Al-Bayada & Al-Khalidiya 05

Al-Qusayr 06

Al-Wa’er 07

Damascus Rural Governorate Forced Displacement 09

Az-Zabadani 10

Madaya and Baqin 12

Al-Kalamoon 13

Qudsaia 14

Al-Moadamiyeh 15

Darayya 16

Wadi Barada 17

Damascus Governorate Forced Displacement 18

Barzeh 19

Al-Qaboun 20

Aleppo Forced Displacement 21

Eastern Neighborhoods 22

Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria وحدة تنسيق الدعم 2 The Demographic Change & Forced Displacement

This report was produced by the Advocacy and Communication department in collaboration with the Information Management Unit IMU, in the Assistance Coordination Unit applying its complementary humanitarian response to the Syrian crisis, including the most urgent needs and approximate number of forced displaced people who are in need. Please note that numbers mentioned in this report are used as official documents by the Information Management Unit (IMU).

The cover photo represents the farwell moment by Al-Wa’er neighborhood’s inhabitants in Homs governorate heading to Jarablus. The estimated number of the first displacement wave is 2000 persons.

This report was issued on June 20, 2017

The forced displacement agreements included in this report, are only the official ones signed with the Syrian regime, nevertheless there are many forced displacement cases caused by bombardment and starvation applied by the regime over the Syrian people.

3 It is worth mentioning that the forced displacement targeted mainly the opposition component in Homs city, then the northern, western and southern countrysides.

Depopulation was applied through many tools, mainly:

Massacres Blockade

Sexual violence Changing property & reconstruction

Intense shelling Arbitrary arrest

2 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Damaged buildings in Juret al-Shayah in Homs, on July 16, 2012.

Province Homs

Since the revolution was triggered in 2011, Al-Assad regime has had a clear vision of the demographic change, where Homs province was an example of this early demographic change. According to many experts, the concept of demographic change dates to many years before the revolution, particularly Homs dream project, which was declared by the former The population of Homs before 2011 Homs governor Iyyad Ghazal who required to gulp was approximately the city center and many of its old neighborhoods.

Homs is the largest Syrian province, although most of it is an uninhabited desert. It is the only province that has boundaries with three countries (Jordan – MILLION INDIVIDUALS Iraq – Lebanon), its western rural is the only passage 2.2 between Damascus, Tartus and Lattakia provinces. 1.2 million individuals Since 2011, Homs has been suffering from extreme of them were from Homs city. violence by the regime; it witnessed many massacres and a continuous shelling which caused the destruction of many of its neighborhoods at the time the supporters’ neighborhoods remained untouched.

1 Civilians carry their belongings as they walk towards a meeting point to be evacuated from a besieged area of Homs February 7, 2014. REUTERS Photo / Yazan Homsy

Displacing Karm Al-Zeitoun’s Inhabitants

12 March Morning of Monday 2012 The regime forces arrested dozens Karm Al-Zeitoun neighborhood to of oppositionists arbitrarily, and the east of Homs city was mortar kept them in a building. Those shelled which caused the incidence prisoners underwent torture for of 16 civilians, and the entrance of two complete hours. regime supporting civil fighters to the neighborhood. Prisoners were divided; men were put in a room, children and women were in another room. They poured gasoline on men, torched Karm Al-Zeitoun Neighborhood some of them, and shot others Massacre. dead. Children were slaughtered This horrific massacre claimed the with knives before their mothers, lives of 43 people and then soldiers raped women including minors before shooting them dead.

Inhabitants started to leave the for fear of similar العام نهايةneighborhood massacres until the neighborhood was completely deserted by its inhabitants - who had been around 50,000 people before 43 people the revolution - and moved to other neighborhoods like Al- Wa’er, Al-Ghouta and Al-Hamra, they haven’t returned till now.

4 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Syrian women walk past the ruins of a shelled street in the Baba Amr district of Homs. Photograph: Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images

Displacing Baba Amr’s Inhabitants

3 February 2012

The regime has started a military operation in Baba Amr neighborhood using all kinds of weapons (rockets – artillery – airstrike), which caused the destruction of the neighborhood 2012 1 March over the heads of its inhabitants and displacing the total population The military operation ended of about 35,000 people to other when FSA fighters retreated from neighborhoods surrounding Baba the neighborhood and the regime Amr. forces entered after 26 days of violent military escalation. The regime did not allow inhabitants to return to their houses 2015 The end of the year The provincial council of Homs declared an organizational chart for reconstructing Baba Amr, Al-Sultania & Jobar neighborhoods, which deprived thousands of families of returning to their houses.

3 Vehicles abandoned by Syrian opposition fighters in Dabaa, north of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province as regime forces sought to mop up pockets of rebel resistance north of Qusayr, on June 7, 2013.

Displacing Al-Qusayr’s Inhabitants Al-Qusayr city subordinating to Homs Province near the Lebanese borders is a linking point between Damascus and the Syrian coast.

2013 19 May The regime forces, supported by hundreds of Hezbollah fighters, started a military operation over the city from various interlocutors 2013 , evacuating the city completely, 19 May and after 18 days, the regime forces and Hezbollah militias The population of Al-Qusayr were able to take control over city before the revolution had the city. been 65,000 people , most of them moved toward Arsal city in Lebanon and Al-Kalamoon district. They could not come back to their city so far. Hezbollah is now resettling its loyalists in the invaded city.

6 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Damaged cars are piled up, used as cover from snipers in the Khaldiyeh area of Homs, on February 19, 2013 Reuters Yazan Homsy

Displacing Al-Bayadah & Al-Khalidiya Inhabitants

March 2012

After the news of Karm Al-Zeitoun massacre, the regime took control over Baba Amr neighborhood, and the attention turned to the rebel fighters’ 2012 stronghold “Al-Khalidiya neighborhood”, March which was shelled heavily the thing that pushed the inhabitants - who had The same case is applied to Al- been around 90,000 people before the Bayadah neighborhood whose revolution - to leave the neighborhood inhabitants had been around in March 2012, and they haven’t returned 100,000 individuals. They left till now. their houses in the same month and haven’t returned till now.

5 Smoke rises behind damaged buildings as the Khalid bin al Walid Mosque is seen on right in the besieged area of Homs March 9, 2014. REUTERS Yazan Homsy

TO SUM UP

The regime did not allow the inhabitants to return to every neighborhood under its control. On the other hand, it started resettling other families aligned to it, like what happened in Karm Al-Zeitoun, Al-Abbasiyya, Bab As-Siba’ neighborhoods and others, whereas the local inhabitants have become refugees or IDPs.​

8 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Syrian oppositions and their families walk to get into a bus during an evacuation from the al-Waer neighborhood in the western outskirts of the central city of Homs Syria on / March 18 2017 Photo by Ridvan Hindi Anadolu Agency

Displacing Al-Wa’er’s Inhabitants Al-Wa’er neighborhood is located to the west south of Homs city.

2012

Large numbers of IDPs fled to it coming from Homs neighborhoods 2013 that underwent a violent military October operation by the regime until its inhabitants have become 700,000 The regime started a military escalation individuals. against the neighborhood and applied a crippling blockade before large numbers 2016 of the inhabitants started to leave it, then Later the regime undertook a violent military operation over the neighborhood in Negotiations started between the regime addition to the crippling blockade that and a delegation of the neighborhood’s almost led the inhabitants to starvation. inhabitants that continued over many 2017 rounds and led partly to the reduction Beginning of Year of the blockade, but the regime violated the agreements many times reapplying This number kept falling till it became blockade until the inhabitants of the 30,000 individuals at the beginning of neighborhood became around 50,000 2017 when the regime started a massive individuals in 2016. military operation using air forces and committing many massacres. 2017 18 March

Inhabitants had to sign agreements, 2017 under a Russian guarantee, requiring Later taking the rebel fighters and their families out of the neighborhood in Till the date of this report, 12 batches addition to everybody who did not want have got out of the neighborhood to to carry out reconciliation procedures Jarabulus and Idleb, the total number with the regime. The application of of the IDPs is around 26,000 people the agreement started on 18/03/2017 where the neighborhood is completely requiring taking the inhabitants out evacuated. of the neighborhood in batches, in average, a batch every weak.

7 A convoy of ambulances carrying more than 125 fighters from the besieged rebel-held Syrian town of Zabadani arrive at the Masnaa border crossing between Lebanon and Syria

Displacing Az-Zabadani’s Inhabitant

2015 Beginning of July

The displacement operation started to be undertaken against the 2015 inhabitants of Az-Zabadani city 24 September using heavy shelling that continued The four cities agreement was for three days and pushed more signed, and the forced displacement than 2,000 people out of the city came back, starting from October through tunnels and sub-roads 2015 to April 2016 by gathering the toward Madaya and Baqin towns. inhabitants of Az-Zabadani, Bludan and Ar-Raudah and sending them by military vehicles to undergo the blockade applied over Madaya and 2016 Later Baqin towns.

The IDPs became approximately 2017 3,000 people; most of them were 19 April women and children. Under the four cities agreement, 158 rebel fighters were taken out of the city toward Idleb city. This operation was facilitated by the Syrian Red Crescent using buses until the city has become completely deserted by its inhabitants.

10 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Photo Story : A man and woman mourn over the dead bodies of Syrian men after an alleged poisonous gas attack fired by regime forces @AP

Province Damascus Rural

Damascus Rural Governorate is one of the Syrian governorates that was created on 20/1/1972. It surrounds Damascus from all sides and was officially considered as an independent governorate early in 1970s. Damascus Rural province – where Duma is Damascus Rural province was its largest cities- has borders directly from one of the most essential the east with Iraq and Jordan, Lebanon battlefronts in the fight occurring from the west and the north west, while in Syria with an exceptional bounded east by the province of Homs importance in accordance with and south by Dar’a and As-Suwayda. the statuesque changes that are In the past, it included the countryside applying a semi-direct influence surrounding the capital, before becoming upon the general life of the one of the most important provinces. Its capital city that is surrounded 2 total size is 18.018 km . by cities of this province from every direction. Damascus Rural province is the second province that joint demonstrations after Dar’a province (to the south).

9 2015 1 July The siege was imposed, where transferring food and medical aids to these districts started in different dates through many batches until an agreement was reached to evacuate injured and sick people after recording dozens of mortalities caused by blockade, Displacing Madaya’s أهــــــالي تهجيــــر .clashes, bombardment and poor medical services & Baqin’s Inhabitant وبقـيـــــن مضـــايـــا 2015 24 September

The cease-fire agreement was reached and the four cities agreement was signed; the first batch was evacuated from Madaya and Baqin toward the Syrian north and Damascus hospitals in exchange for evacuating the injured people from Kafriya and Al- Fu’ah.

Later

After negotiation with the Iranians, an agreement was reached by Jaish Al-Fath and the Iranians to finalize the four cities agreement by implementing a number of incompletely declared terms, and evacuating the rebel fighters of Az-Zabadani and Madaya with their families toward the north. 2017 14 April

The first term was implemented when buses and Red Crescent ambulances entered Madaya and Baqin to evacuate rebel fighters and their families with a number of 65 buses carrying 3,350 people (400 fighter) and 2,950( ) civilians. 2017 15 April

Al-Assad regime tried to derail this agreement and prevent implementing it by instigating the explosion of IED in the exchange point between the rebel Syrians in the besieged town of Madaya waiting for an aid convoy in January. fighters and Kafriya – Al-Fu’ah’s inhabitants, which Photograph: AFP/Getty caused the incidence of 50 rebel fighters including12 fighters from Az-Zabadani, a fighter form Madaya, a fighter from Hurairah and a fighter from Wadi Barada, in addition to recording 110 casualities from Kafriya and Al-Fu’ah.

12 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria 2017 Later After the departure of the buses containing the rebel fighters and their families, Al-Assad militias and the civil fighters aligned entered the area to march and insult the inhabitants. They also robbed some Displacing Madaya’s rebellions’ houses and set others on fire before establishing a settlement procedure center for the أهــــــالي تهجيــــر inhabitants. Men who remained in the area were required to surrender a rifle for each person to accept وبقـيـــــنInhabitant مضـــايـــا Baqin’s & the settlement, then they reopened the police center in the area. The rebels who remained in the area and refused the settlement asked to be evacuated toward the Syrian north.

2017 19 April

1,500 prisoners were released from Al-Assad prisons.

2017 Later

50 families of Az-Zabadani rebels moved from Lebanon toward the Syrian north, and 1,000 people of rebels and their families from Al-Yarmouk camp toward the Syrian north in exchange for evacuating the fighters of Kafriya and Al-Fu’ah with their families, who were about 16,000 people “according to the regime’s resources” toward the regime-controlled areas.

مضايا بلدة يف سوريون مواطنون سوريون يف بلدة مضايا 2017 يف املساعدات قافلة بانتظار املحاصرة بانتظار قافلة املساعدات يف AFP/Getty Later صورة: يناير. / الثاني كانون الثاني / يناير. صورة:

Departure of two buses from Madaya and Baqin containing 100 people toward Idleb in parallel with the departure of 3 buses from Az-Zabadani containing 158 rebels, 2 buses after accompanying them in Sargaya town containing 100 rebels from Al-Jabal Al-Sharki with some civilians and the departure of 3 buses containing settlement refusers from Wadi Barada toward the Syrian north.

11 More than 15 buses reached the outskirts of the towns “Qudsaya” and “Hamah” in Damascus countryside on Thursday morning

Displacing Qudsaya’s and Al-Hameh’s Inhabitant

2016 تموز شهر بدايةSeptember 21 Civil fighters raided the Dana Hotel in Qudsaya ending the cease-fire agreement, starting the siege, shelling dispensaries and initiating a starvation policy that pushed the reconciliation commission in the area to meet 2016 13 October with the regime many times to recon ciliate many conditions, That after noon, a convoy consisting mainly; status settlement of of 22 buses entered the city to those who were called up for the evacuate all the settlement refusers military service and to joint the toward Idleb and Rural Hama with a regime army in no more than 6 number of around 1,400 people by months, surrendering their heavy 30 buses, 650 people of them were and middle weapons evacuating FSA fighters and their families. settlement refusers toward Idleb and Rural Hama with their personal weapons if they desired.

14 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Syrian children who fled from Yabroud, the last rebel stronghold in Syria's mountainous Qalamoun region, sit on top of a truck with their belongings Photo/ Hussein Malla-AP

Displacing Al-Kalamoon’s Inhabitant

Beginning of July 2011 Before the revolution was triggered, 2013 the population of Al-Kalamoon had End of the year been 100,000 individuals, and it was an The regime started applying a important shelter for more than 50,000 crippling blockade in parallel with IDPs from Homs and its rural districts a continuous bombardment until who spread out across the entire area. displacement started especially by 2014 February those who came from outside Al- Kalamoon toward Arsal in Lebanon, During Yabroud battle, most of and the IDPs have become 5,000 Yabroud’s, As-Sarkha’s, Al-Faltah’s, people during that period. Ras Al-Ma’arah’s and Ras Al-Ain’s inhabitants moved to other areas in 2014 Al-Kalamoon (Al-Jebbah, Asal Al-Ward, March and Rankous), toward Damascus and Rural Damascus especially At-Tal district The IDPs inside Al-Kalamoon were or toward Arsal in Lebanon. more than 50,000 people during 2014 the battle, whereas the refugees in Later Arsal were about 30,000 people of Al-Kalamoon inhabitants or IDPs After regime – supported by Hezbollah coming from Homs and Rural Homs. militias – took control over Al-Kalamoon city and the battle was over, some of the inhabitants came back to their cities and villages. The total population now is no more than 60,000 civilians distributed all over the area.

13 Photo Story :Civilians carry their belongings after reports of an agreement between rebels and Syria’s army to evacuate civilians and rebel fighters from Mouadamiyah, in Damascus [Reuters}

Displacing Darayya’s Inhabitant The population of Darayya was approximately 250,000 people before the revolution.

2012 25 August Darayya district has witnessed many 2013 For four years massacres; the major one was on 25 2016 August 2012 when the Fourth Armored The humanitarian aid was prevented Division and the Republican Guards in for four years, where the first the regime army killed more than 300 convoy of aid entered the city on 10 civilians including women, added to June 2016 containing unnecessary lots of missing people that day. materials (birth control pills, and anti- Later 2016 mosquitoes tents) which raised the irony of the people there. Al-Assad regime killed 817 civilians 2016 including 67 children and 98 women, 26-27 August and assaulted 56 urban centers. The wide systematic violations led It threw 7,846 explosive barrels Darayya to a complete attrition stage containing incendiary materials, raided that pushed the residents to accept the 8 chemical attacks and 3 cluster-bomb reconciliation suggested by Al-Assad attacks added to causing the death of 9 regime, which stated the displacement people by starvation and pour medical of the residents toward Idleb and other care. areas in Syria. Later 2016 2017 the forcibly disappearance of 4,311 Later people in Al-Assad’s prisons. 8,000 people got out Darayya including 700 rebel-fighters, and 2017 Later the city was completely evacuated after 4 years of siege. 300 Iraqi Shiat families were recruited to settle in Darayya whose locals were evacuated according to a report published by The Guardian.

16 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Photo Story :Civilians carry their belongings after reports of an agreement between rebels and Syria’s army to evacuate civilians and rebel fighters from Mouadamiyah, in Damascus ,Reuters

Displacing Al-Moadamiyeh’s Inhabitant

2016 تموز شهر بدايةSeptember 21 The first wave of Al-Moadamiyeh inhabitants went out after a meeting held between the reconciliation committees and a delegation of the inhabitants. 2016 21 September

2,500 people were transported out of Al-Moadamiyeh by 70 buses toward Idleb Province.

15 March 22, 2012 file photo shows general view of Damascus , AP Photo-Muzaffar Salman

Province Damascus

On 15/3/2011, dozens of young Damascus is the capital city of Syria located men held the second largest in the southern west at the bank of Barada demonstration in Souk Al- river and its seven branches surrounded with Hamidiyeh in Damascus city as groves in the east and west called the two a response for invitations posted Ghoutas, and the famous Mount Qasioun on Facebook pages, cheering for is to the north. This geographical location freedom. made Damascus one of the most beautiful On 18/3/2013, in what was and old populated cities in the world. called “the Dignity Friday” and in Administratively, Damascus province is solidarity with the picket of Al- divided into 16 main neighborhoods; (Barzeh, Omary mosque prayers in Dar’a, Qaboun, Jobar, Al-Shaghour, Al-Midan, hundreds of men cheered for Al-Kadam, Kafr Sousa, Dummar, Mezzeh, freedom in the courtyard of the Rukneddine, Al-Salihiyah, Al-Mouhajrin, Umayyad Mosque in Damascus Sarouja, Al-Qanawat, Old Damascus and Al- after the end of the Friday prayer. Yarmouk camp). Many members of security forces The old part of Damascus is considered – who were undercovered among one of the richest Syrian cities with famous the prayers in civilian dresses historical monuments like (the Citadel of – dispersed the demonstrators Damascus, the Umayyad Mosque, the Azm arresting two and led them to Palace, the Damascus wall and its 10 gates). an unknown destination. Some The old city has been listed as UNESCO- websites posted video clips World Heritage Sites since 1979. captured with phone cameras showing demonstrators being beaten in the mosque hall and courtyard.

18 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Viewing the damages in Ain Al-Fijah water pumping station on 29 January 2017 / Reuters

Displacing Wadi Barada’s Inhabitant

Wadi Barada district is considered one of the major touristic areas in Syria located in the west north of Damascus on the eastern Anti-Lebanon mountain range, the district was inhabited by 100,000 people involved in tourism and agriculture. This highland district is considered as the water reservoir of the Syrian capital and one of its touristic monuments including rivers like Barada river that stems from the mountains to the northern east of Damascus near Az-Zabadani, and flows in a curved line until it reaches Al-Rabwa district. In addition to the ancient train track that is called “Al-Masayef train”. This track starts from Damascus to the Lebanese boarders, particularly in Rayak, passing through Wadi Barada.

2017 Beginning of year

The villages of Bassima, Ain Al- Khadra, Ain Al-Fijah, Al-Huseinieh 2017 and Al-Fijah stream in Wadi Barada 30 Jan underwent a heavy shelling and a crippling blockade applied by Al- At the end of January 2017, the Assad regime and Hezbollah Militias, northern west of Damascus Rural which led to a huge destruction in the witnessed the displacement of infrastructure and the destruction of more than 2,100 people including Ain Al-Fijah stream that is considered hundreds of rebel-fighters toward the main water source of Damascus. Idleb province to the north of Syria. On this date, buses entered Wadi Barada district to evacuate reconciliation refusers from Wadi Barada’s villages and towns and transport them to the Syrian north under the agreement of the demographic change of the four cities (Madaya, Az-Zabadani – Al- Fu’ah and Kafriya).

17 More than 1,000 people have left Qaboun in two days of evacuations. (Photo: Representational/AP)

Displacing Al-Qaboun Neighborhood’s Inhabitant

2017 14 May

The first wave of Al-Qaboun’s IDPs went out of the neighborhood toward the north of Syria as an application of the agreement reached by the negotiation delegation of the neighborhoods’ 2017 residents and Al-Assad regime. Later Buses containing 1,500 people of fighters, civilians and casualities That agreement came after 80 days headed toward Ma’raba village to of blockade applied by the regime reach Idleb province to the north forces over the neighborhood and of Syria through Qalaat al-Madiq after separating it from Barzeh district in Hama province. and Tishrin neighborhoods closing all the humanitarian crossings. Noteworthy that Al-Qaboun is the second depopulated neighborhood in Damascus under such an agreement after regime forces displaced thousands of residents of Damascus Rural cities’ residents and towns like Qudsiyah, Al-Hameh, Madaya, Baqin, Az-Zabadani, Al-Moadamiyeh, Daraya, Bassimah and Khan Al-Shih camp.

20 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Hundreds of Syrian rebel fighters began a process of leaving the besieged Damascus suburb of Barzeh on Monday, 8th May 2017, as part of an evacuation deal [Reuters]

Displacing Barzeh Neighborhood’s Inhabitant

End of the year 2016

A cease-fire agreement was declared by the Syrian regime and the locals , but the regime did not commit to this agreement and violated it applying a crippling 2016 blockade over the neighborhood in Later parallel with hundreds of air strikes by the Russian air force during the last two Because of this crippling blockade and months aiming to take control over the preventing the entry of medical and neighborhood and the rest of eastern food aids added to the huge number of Damascus neighborhoods like Al- injured and sick people, residents found Qaboun. themselves obliged to sign an agreement between a civilian delegation mandated 2017 by the neighborhood’s inhabitants 8 May and the regime generals requiring the evacuation of the rebel fighters and their The first batch was evacuated toward families toward Idleb and Jarabulus in 8 Idleb, and people were distributed batches accompanied with the Syrian over the city and its suburb; around Red Crescent, without any guarantor 256 families with a number of 1,022 for this agreement and with an ability individuals including 568 rebel fighters. for those who wanted to stay like other agreements in nearby areas.

19 Photo story :A convoy of uses and ambulances wait at a crossing point at Amiriyah District of Aleppo, Syria on December 15

Displacing Aleppo eastern neighborhoods’ Inhabitant

2015 Beginning of November A military operation was undertaken by the regime forces, Iranian, Iraqi and Lebanese militias for invading Later eastern Aleppo that was under rebel-fighters control. During the military operation, passages were opened by the regime for those who wanted to exit the city toward the 2016 3 February regime-controlled areas, and many people had got out, mostly women Those who remained in Aleppo city and children, with numbers of about (Al-Mashhad neighborhood and 100 – 150 thousand civilians. its surroundings) until signing the 2016 evacuation agreement between 15 – 23 January the rebel fighters and the Russians, were approximately 75,000 people. The secure evacuation agreement started. The Syrian Red Crescent and the Red Cross counted 37,500 IDPs. 2017 Later The destinations of the evacuated people varied; either toward regime- people were يليهاcontrolled areas, secure passages Totally, the evacuated between western Aleppo Rural and Idleb or toward northern Aleppo Rural through Kurdish-controlled Approximately areas. 150,000 % 75 individuals toward western Aleppo Rural 25 % and Idleb. toward northern Aleppo Rural

22 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria Photo / university of Aleppo 17 – 05 – 2012

Province Aleppo

Aleppo city, near the Turkish boarders to the north of Syria, is considered the second largest city in Syria, it is 310 KM far from Damascus. The Citadel of Aleppo, which is considered one of its most important monuments, is located on a high hill in the center of the old city viewing The population all its neighborhoods. was approximately

The first peaceful demonstration was held in Al- Sha’ar neighborhood in a support of Dar’a city on 25/3/2011, the university students held the 275,000 first demonstration demanding for freedom on 4/5/2011 as they raised the revolution flag individuals over the university building on 17/5/2012. according to Aleppo local council’s statistics. People of Aleppo city held many protests and demonstrations demanding for freedom and dignity in many neighborhoods, and the peak was on 30/6/2011, which was called “Aleppo volcano”. Since the beginning of 2012, peaceful demonstrations have been much more crowded and martyrs fell daily.

% 75 toward western Aleppo Rural and Idleb.

21 The Demographic Change & Forced Displacement in Syria

24 Descriptive Research- The demographic change and forced displacement in Syria No To Displacement & Demographic Change

Noteworthy that the forced displacement is listed as a war crime, genocide and a crime against humanity according to the international humanitarian law, as well as the four Geneva conventions dated on 12 August 1949, and the two following protocols of 1977 define war crimes as a gross violation of the stated rules concerning forced displacement; article 49 of the fourth Geneva convention in 1949 banned the forced individual and collective displacement.

23 Photo story :A convoy of uses and ambulances wait at a crossing point at Amiriyah District of Aleppo, Syria on December 15

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