February 2013 Martyrs of Dignity Revolution In Ehsem Violations Documenting Center In

Report on Martyrs of Dignity Revolution In Ehsem in Governorate Violations Documenting Center in Syria February 2013

About the City:

Ehsem is a town of Al Zawyia Mountain's villages. Administratively, it's a part of . It's located in the eastern part of AlZawyia mountain. It is 70 km from the Syrian- Turkish boarders, and nearly 400 km from Damascus. Balshun and Iblin villages are on its west, Deir-sonbl and Freikia are on its east , Al Bara and Deir- sonbl are also its southern boarders and Mareaan are on its north. Its population is about 12000 people .

Revolution in Ehsem city:

Ehsem's people and activists have participated in the revolution since its beginning, as most areas of Idlib have. The first demonstration in Ehsem was on 20-4-2011.The first martyr in the city, Nizar Ali M.Sarhan fell on 20-5-2011 as the regime forces opened fire on him.

The city was first stormed on 30-5-2011. Consequently, there were 7 locations of the Syrian Army, the largest of which was the "Gas station" barrier, which has become a military barrack and a prison for torturing and killing the prisoners.

The city has been liberated by the free army since 23-7-2012, and is still being shelled by artilleries and machine-guns frequently.

In Ehsem, 50 martyrs have been documented till the date of this report..

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Martyrs of the Revolution:

VDC in Syria has documented 50 martyrs in Ehsem since the beginning of the revolution till the end of February 2013. In 2011 one martyr fell in the city, while the others fell in the year 2012. In September of that same year the highest number of martyrs fell in the newly-liberated city then, as the regime forces were trying to regain control over it.

20 18 18 16 14 12 10 8 5 6 4 4 4 3 4 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 0 May Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb 2011 2012 2013 Total 1 2 4 2 1 4 3 2 18 2 1 4 1 5

 56% of people died under artillery shellings, while other 26% of the total fell as a result of opened fire and snipers' shots, and 8% died because of field executions.

Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Fadel, A Free Army soldier, died under torture on 2-5-2012

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 The average number of martyrs in the city since the beginning of the revolution till February 2013 is 0.005 of its total population.  The percentages of martyrs were: 60% of civilians and 40% of non-civilians  The percentage of male martyrs was 82% and 18% of female martyrs

100% 82% 80% 60% 60% 40% 40% 18% 20% 0% Femal Male Non-Civilians Civilians

Distribution of Martyrs according to gender:

10% 12% 6% Adult-Female Child-Female Adult-Male Child-Male

72%

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Civilian Martyrs:

15 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 May Jan Feb Mar May Jun Aug Sep Oct Dec Feb 2011 2012 2013

Abdul-Kader Ahmed Al-Milhem, 8 years, killed under artillery shelling on 5-9-2012

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Non-civilian Martyrs:

4 4 3.5 3 3 3 2.5 2 2 2 1.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 0 Jan Apr May Jun Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb 2012 2013

 17% of Ehsem's martyrs were of children under 18, noting that none of them was of the Free Army.  17% of youth martyrs were between(18-24) years  The higher rates of martyrs ranged between (25-35) years  The Syrian Free Army's martyrs ranged between (20-30) years

40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Children Youth Martyrs years(25-35) years (36-45) older than 45 Martyrs years

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Alaa Al-debs, 16 years, killed with her parents under artillery shelling on 21-9-2012

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The rate of single martyrs was 28%, and 30% of the married martyrs had 1-3 children.

30% 30% 28% 30% 25% 20% 13% 15% 10% 5% 0% Single married with 1-3 married with4-6 married with more children children than 6 children

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Fatima Mohammad, Killed under artillery shelling on8-10-2012, married, five children

 The higher rate of non-civilian adult martyrs was of workers 47%. There were 21% martyrs of housewives, 11% of adult school and university students, and 21% of employees.

47% 50% 40%

30% 21% 21% 20% 11% 5% 5% 5% 10% 0%

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The rates of non-civilian martyrs were: 85% of workers and 5% of students.

100% 85% 80% 60% 40% 20% 5% 5% 5% 0% Worker Student Teacher Tailor

To see Ehsem's martyrs list: Click Here Special thanks to "Youth for Freedom" in Ehsem for their cooperation in the report. PS: some of the details we do not translate it, because it is hard linguistically, since some of the expressions cannot be understood in any language but Arabic. Therefore, the Arabic copy of our data is for the people who care about more details

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[email protected] For more previous reports: http://www.vdc-sy.org/index.php/ar/reports

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