Darayya#Darayya during the war

Darayya is one of the oldest cities in Syria, reportedly the place where Paul the Apostle had his conversion (30s AD), "on Damascus road".{{cn|date=June 2022}}

In 1838, Eli Smith noted Daraya as being located in the Wady el-'Ajam, and being populated by Sunni Muslims and Christians.Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. [https://archive.org/stream/biblicalresearch03robiuoft#page/148/mode/1up 148]

The city had a population of 78,763 {{As of|2004|lc=y}}, making it the 18th largest city per geographical entity in Syria.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140306072406/http://www.cbssyr.sy/new%20web%20site/General_census/census_2004/NH/TAB03-34-2004.htm General Census of Population and Housing 2004]. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Rif Dimashq Governorate. {{in lang|ar}}

Darayya has an altitude of {{convert|689|m|ft|abbr=off}}.

After 2011, the number of inhabitants decreased gradually, as a result of the conflict between the Syrian government forces and the opposition forces, to seven thousand civilians and combatants until 26 August 2016. After that and as a result of the tight siege imposed on the city, the Syrian government forced the rest of the population to accept forced displacement to the North of Syria, so the city became empty of its residents. The Syrian government allowed some families to return to their homes after obtaining the necessary security clearances.{{when|date=December 2024}}{{cn|date=June 2022}}

As of 25 March 2025, at least 1,559 IDPs have returned to Darayya from various parts of Syria.{{Cite web |title=Syrian returnees' figures by sub-districts - data 25 March 2025 |url=https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/115368 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=UNHCR Operational Data Portal (ODP) |language=en}}

{{see|Darayya massacre|Battle of Darayya (November 2012–February 2013)|Siege of Darayya and Muadamiyat}}

Darayya has seen heavy fighting during the Syrian Civil War. The city was an early hotspot for anti-government protests. In August 2012, opposition groups denounced that government forces performed a mass killing that was later known as Darayya massacre,{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/aug/28/syria-worst-massacre-daraya-death-toll-400|title=Syria's worst massacre: Daraya death toll reaches 400|first1=Mona|last1=Mahmood|first2=Luke|last2=Harding|date=28 August 2012|work=The Guardian}}[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2009276/ Сирия пересчитывает расстрелянных] (Коммерсантъ, 27 августа 2012) and a second time on 4 January 2013.[http://news.mail.ru/politics/11505457/ Сирийские войска вытеснили боевиков с юго-запада Дамаска] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106182754/http://news.mail.ru/politics/11505457/ |date=6 January 2013 }} {{in lang|ru}} However, as of summer 2013 fighting continued in the city with most of the municipality controlled by the armed opposition forces.[http://www.rosbalt.ru/video/2013/04/23/1121309.html Эвакуация раненого солдата под Дамаском] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510090222/http://www.rosbalt.ru/video/2013/04/23/1121309.html |date=10 May 2013 }}

By mid-2016, the Syrian Army controlled approximately 65% of Darayya, steadily advancing and tightening the siege.{{Cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-seizes-large-chunks-strategic-west-damascus-town/|title=Syrian Army seizes large chunks of strategic west Damascus town|last=Fadel|first=Leith|date=5 August 2016|access-date=10 August 2016|archive-date=25 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625012840/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-seizes-large-chunks-strategic-west-damascus-town/|url-status=dead}} In August 2016, an agreement allowed for the evacuation of rebel fighters as well as civilians.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/37191087|title=Syria Darayya: Deal reached to evacuate besieged town|date=26 August 2016|publisher=bbc.com}} Some 700 rebels were transported to the rebel stronghold city of Idlib in the north as part of a surrender agreement.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/25/rebels-to-surrender-syrian-town-of-darayya-to-assads-forces|title=Rebels to surrender Syrian town of Darayya to Assad's forces |date=25 August 2016|work=The Guardian}}

Amid the constant bombings and conflict, a group of young people (mostly former college students) have founded an underground public library that has amassed a collection of more than 15,000 books. Most of the books were found in the rubble of ruined houses, and the librarians are documenting the name of the homeowner so that the books can be returned after the war.{{cite news |last=Minoui |first=Delphine |date=16 March 2021 |title=Hunting for books in the ruins: How Syria's rebel librarians found hope |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/mar/16/words-have-the-power-to-heal-syrias-rebel-librarians |work=The Guardian |location= |access-date=27 May 2021}} By 2019, 150,000 residents returned and began to rebuild and develop it, with supporting the efforts of the local council by various activities to restore the city’s commercial activity.{{cite AV media |url=https://youtube.com/2B7Ia1oknuo?si=UFJUGdbbF838XEgM| date=December 14, 2023 |title=إعادة إعمار مدينة داريا|trans-title = Reconstruction of the Darayya City| type=Motion picture | location=Syria| publisher=Syrian Arab News Agency}}

Coordination and partnership between the local council in the city of Darayya and the people helped speed up the city’s recovery and the return of full services including water, electricity, sewage and roads, in addition to the rehabilitation of most government and service institutions and schools, according to Council President Munther Al-Azab.

File:Fog everywhere.jpg

Darayya has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk). Rainfall is higher in winter than in summer. The average annual temperature in Darraya is {{convert|17.1|°C|1}}. About {{convert|211|mm|2|abbr=on}} of precipitation falls annually.

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Darraya

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|Jan high C = 12.2

|Feb high C = 14.0

|Mar high C = 17.9

|Apr high C = 22.8

|May high C = 28.6

|Jun high C = 33.3|

|Jul high C = 35.5

|Aug high C = 35.8

|Sep high C = 32.1

|Oct high C = 27.1

|Nov high C = 20.0

|Dec high C = 14.3

|Jan mean C= 7.2

|Feb mean C= 8.5

|Mar mean C=11.6

|Apr mean C=15.6

|May mean C=20.4

|Jun mean C=24.3

|Jul mean C=26.2

|Aug mean C=26.4

|Sep mean C=23.3

|Oct mean C=19.2

|Nov mean C=13.5

|Dec mean C= 9.1

|Jan low C = 2.3

|Feb low C = 3.0

|Mar low C = 5.3

|Apr low C = 8.4

|May low C = 12.2

|Jun low C = 15.4

|Jul low C = 16.9

|Aug low C = 17.1

|Sep low C = 14.5

|Oct low C = 11.4

|Nov low C = 7.1

|Dec low C = 4.0

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 47

|Feb precipitation mm = 38

|Mar precipitation mm = 26

|Apr precipitation mm = 13

|May precipitation mm = 7

|Jun precipitation mm = 0

|Jul precipitation mm = 0

|Aug precipitation mm = 0

|Sep precipitation mm = 0

|Oct precipitation mm = 8

|Nov precipitation mm = 28

|Dec precipitation mm = 44

|year precipitation mm= 211

|source = Climate-Data.org {{cite web

|url = https://en.climate-data.org/location/47495/

|title = Climate: Quneitra

|publisher = Climate-Data.org

|access-date = 30 August 2018}}

}}

• Patriarch Gregory III Laham, the former leader of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church was born here on 15 December 1933 as Lutfy Laham.

• Yusra Mardini, Olympic swimmer, and her sister, activist Sarah Mardini, grew up in Darayya.{{cite news|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/former-syrian-refugee-olympic-swimmer-yursa-mardini-profile|title=From Syrian Refugee to Olympic Swimmer: Yusra Mardini Goes for the Gold |work=Vogue|date=24 March 2017}}

• Darayya massacre
• Christians in Syria

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last1=Robinson|first1=E.|authorlink1=Edward Robinson (scholar)|last2=Smith|first2=E.|authorlink2=Eli Smith|year=1841|url=https://archive.org/details/biblicalresearch03robiuoft |title=Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea: A Journal of Travels in the year 1838| location=Boston|publisher=Crocker & Brewster|volume=3}}

{{refend}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9L3lT-z3no Darayya, Rif Dimashq] - Video of bombardment of Darayya during the Syrian civil war on YouTube
• [https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36893303 Report on Syria's secret library] by BBC News

{{Cities of Syria}}

{{Rif Dimashq Governorate|darayya}}

Category:Cities in Syria

Category:Populated places in Darayya District

Category:Christian communities in Syria