Qudsaya
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Qudsaya
|other_name =
|native_name = {{lang|ar|قدسيا}}
|nickname =
|settlement_type = City
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|mapsize = 250
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|pushpin_map = Syria
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_mapsize =250
|pushpin_map_caption =Location in Syria
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg}} Syria
|subdivision_type1 = Governorate
|subdivision_name1 = Rif Dimashq
|subdivision_type2 = District
|subdivision_name2 = Qudsaya
|subdivision_type3 = Subdistrict
|subdivision_name3 = Qudsaya
|subdivision_type4 = Control
|subdivision_name4 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg}} Syrian opposition
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|unit_pref =Metric
|population_as_of = 2004 census
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|population_total = 33571
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|coordinates = {{coord|33|32|N|36|13|E|region:SY|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_m = 800
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Qudsaya ({{langx|ar|قدسيا|Qudsayā}}) is a Syrian city in Rif Dimashq Governorate and the administrative centre of Qudsaya District. The city is located on the western slope of Mount Qasioun, 7 km west of Damascus. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Qudsaya had a population of 33,571 in the 2004 census.[https://archive.today/20121221035044/http://www.cbssyr.org/new%20web%20site/General_census/census_2004/NH/TAB03-7-2004.htm General Census of Population and Housing 2004]. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Rif Dimashq Governorate. {{in lang|ar}} Adjacent to the town is the modern suburb of Dahiyat Qudsaya. The city mostly consists of Alawites and Circassians.
History
During the Syrian Civil War, the town was taken by the rebels and blockaded by the government in 2012.{{cite web|title=Syrian army reported to be carrying out a major offensive on Qudsaya |url=http://blogs.aljazeera.com/topic/syria/syrian-army-reported-be-carrying-out-major-offensive-qudsaya-west-damascus-sohr-says |publisher=Al-Jazeera |access-date=30 November 2015}} A truce ending the blockade was reached in November 2013.{{cite web|title=Truce Reached In Blockaded Town Of Qudsaya |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/10/syria-truce-qudsaya_n_4251464.html |publisher=Huffington Post |access-date=30 November 2015}} The government placed the town under siege again in July 2015, until a deal was reached in November 2015 for the rebels to be transferred to Idlib province.{{cite web|title=Qudsaya siege: Syrian rebels transferred to Idlib under deal |url=http://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2015/11/30/qudsaya-siege-syrian-rebels-transferred-to-idlib-under-deal |publisher=Al-Araby |access-date=30 November 2015}} On 12 October 2016, armed fighters turned in their weaponry as per the surrender deal in which about 150 rebel fighters from Qudsaya and al-Hamah will be allowed safe-passage to rebel-held areas in Idlib. More than 300 rebel fighters who have chosen to stay behind will have their cases settled.{{cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syria-rebels-hand-weapons-per-evacuation-deal/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013132758/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syria-rebels-hand-weapons-per-evacuation-deal/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 13, 2016|title=Syria: Rebels hand over weapons as per evacuation deal|first=Zen|last=Adra|date=12 October 2016|publisher=Al-Masdar News|access-date=13 October 2016}}[http://www.syriahr.com/2016/10/13/استمرار-عمليات-إدخال-حافلات-إلى-قدسيا/ استمرار عمليات إدخال حافلات إلى قدسيا والهامة لتهجير من تبقى من المقاتلين وعوائلهم] SOHR (13 October 2016) The agreement was completed on the following day, with rebels being allowed to leave along with their family members.[http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=52269 Displacing of hundreds of fighters and their families from al-Hameh and Qudsayya is completed] SOHR (13 October 2016)
Geography
=Climate=
Qudsaya has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk). Rainfall is higher in winter than in summer. The average annual temperature in Qudsaya is {{convert|15.9|°C|1}}. About {{convert|258|mm|2|abbr=on}} of precipitation falls annually.
{{Weather box|location = Qudsaya
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan high C = 10.8
|Feb high C = 12.5
|Mar high C = 16.2
|Apr high C = 21.2
|May high C = 26.8
|Jun high C = 31.6
|Jul high C = 34.0
|Aug high C = 34.4
|Sep high C = 30.8
|Oct high C = 25.9
|Nov high C = 18.8
|Dec high C = 13.1
|Jan low C = 1.3
|Feb low C = 2.0
|Mar low C = 4.3
|Apr low C = 7.6
|May low C = 11.1
|Jun low C = 14.4
|Jul low C = 16.1
|Aug low C = 16.3
|Sep low C = 13.5
|Oct low C = 10.4
|Nov low C = 6.3
|Dec low C = 3.1
|Jan precipitation mm = 60
|Feb precipitation mm = 47
|Mar precipitation mm = 30
|Apr precipitation mm = 15
|May precipitation mm = 10
|Jun precipitation mm = 0
|Jul precipitation mm = 0
|Aug precipitation mm = 0
|Sep precipitation mm = 0
|Oct precipitation mm = 10
|Nov precipitation mm = 31
|Dec precipitation mm = 55
|year precipitation mm= 258
|source = Climate-Data.org, Climate data
|date=21 January 2018}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Cities of Syria}}
{{Rif Dimashq Governorate|qudsaya}}
Category:Populated places in Qudsaya District
Category:Circassian communities in Syria
{{RifDimashqSY-geo-stub}}