al-Qusayr, Syria

Al-Qusayr is the closest modern-day city to the ancient walled hilltop city of Qadesh (now the ruins known as Tell Nebi Mend, ({{circa|1766}} ft)) named for the idol worshipped by the ancients at the time and which sits north and above the plain east of the river where historians place the largest known chariot vs. chariot battle in antiquity, the Battle of Qadash, May 1274 BC between the forces of Ramesses II's Egypt and the Anatolian Empire of the Hittites of Muwatalli II.

Arab geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi visited the town in the early 13th century, during Ayyubid rule, and noted al-Qusayr was located north of Damascus, was surrounded by gardens and possessed an extensive khan (caravansary.)le Strange, 1890, p.489.

File:Ifpo 21575 Syrie, gouvernorat de Homs, la ville de Qousseir entourée de terrains agricoles, vue aérienne verticale (cropped).jpg

During the Khedivate Egyptian conquest of the Levant in 1832, Ibrahim Pasha, the leader of the campaign, was hosted in al-Qusayr. Following his army's withdrawal, several Egyptian families remained in the town because of its climate and abundant agriculture. Olives, apples, apricots, wheat, barley and potatoes were grown in the area.Yusef, Danny. [http://www.esyria.sy/ehoms/index.php?p=stories&category=places&filename=200812270840027 The City of al-Qusayr - Daughter of the Orontes]. E-Homs. E-Syria. 27 December 2008.

{{See also|Battle of al-Qusayr (2012)|Al-Qusayr offensive}}

Some of al-Qusayr's inhabitants participated in the 2011–2013 Syrian civil war against the government of Bashar al-Assad. The town became the destination for a number of defectors from the Syrian Army. Between the start of the rebellion in April 2011 and 13 February 2012, at least 70 residents have been killed. Since November 2011, al-Qusayr had been besieged by the army.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2012/feb/01/syria-arab-and-middle-east-protests#/?picture=385333879&index=0 Suriye Cephesi – Resimlerle, El Kuseyr]. The Guardian. 01.02.2012. 20 Eylül 2012 tarihinde erişilmiştir. On 13 February, about 400 army soldiers and pro-government militiamen commandeered the city's main hospital and the municipal hall. There were reportedly several pro-government snipers in the city putting daily life at a standstill and the opposition Free Syrian Army (FSA) had established a base in the city.Carrasco, Mayte. [https://archive.today/20120720055240/http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1690793.php/Death-a-daily-event-in-al-Qusayr-south-of-Homs Death a daily event in al-Qusayr south of Homs]. Monsters and Critics: Middle East News. 2012-02-13. Retrieved on 21 February 2012.

The people of al-Qusayr set up a local civilians committee largely to prevent inter-religious strife in the city. Between 7–9 February, the FSA Captured a Christian Syrian Army corporal who was cooperating with government forces and whose family, operated an unofficial checkpoint outside al-Qusayr to harass the residents. Afterward, Shabiha Militia kidnapped six Sunni Muslims from the city, killing one. A local shabiha mob subsequently abducted 20 Christians.Wood, Paul. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16984219 Syria's slide towards civil war]. BBC News. 12 February 2012. Retrieved on 21 February 2012. All were released in an exchange deal mediated by the local civilians committee which also stipulated the exile of the corporal and his family from al-Qusayr. On 13 February, the FSA raided and captured the city's mukhabarat (intelligence or security agency) headquarters, killing five military intelligence agents in the process. In June 2012 the military chief of the local FSA branch, Abdel Salam Harba, ordered the remaining thousand of the prior ten thousand Christians to leave al-Qusayr.[http://www.news.va/en/news/asiasyria-ultimatum-to-christians-leave-qusayr Ultimatum to Christians: "Leave Qusayr"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018143720/http://www.news.va/en/news/asiasyria-ultimatum-to-christians-leave-qusayr |date=18 October 2017 }}. Agenzia Fides. 9 June 2012. Retrieved on 4 January 2014.

Four tanks were sent to the city afterward. However, one of the tanks defected to the opposition together with 30 soldiers. The defected tank managed to take out the other three tanks, killing 20 government soldiers, according to local rebels. The FSA then captured the town hall and hospital, and focused on other government positions. On 25 February, the whole town was controlled by the FSA. Since the government sent no further reinforcements, the 80 remaining government soldiers fled from their posts in al-Qusayr.{{Cite web |last=Coghlan |first=Tom |date=25 February 2012 |title=Defectors turn the tide against Assad forces |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/defectors-turn-the-tide-against-assad-forces/story-fnb64oi6-1226280989010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227205828/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/defectors-turn-the-tide-against-assad-forces/story-fnb64oi6-1226280989010 |archive-date=27 February 2012 |access-date=21 January 2025 |website=The Australian}}

On 20 April 2012, Abdel Ghani Jawhar, an explosives expert and commander of the Fatah al-Islam group, detonated himself in al-Qusayr accidentally, while preparing explosive devices. He was wanted in Lebanon for 200 cases of murder, assassinations, attempted assassinations and explosive attacks.[https://world.time.com/2012/04/23/in-syria-lebanons-most-wanted-sunni-terrorist-blows-himself-up/ "In Syria, Lebanon’s Most Wanted Sunni Terrorist Blows Himself Up"]. Time. 23 April 2012. On 9 July, Al Jazeera reported that the Free Syrian Army recaptured the town hall, which had served as the main command center for Syrian troops in the area, and demolished it in order to prevent the Syrian government from recapturing it.{{Cite web | url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/07/201271183326106645.html |title = Al-Qusayr: FSA's biggest victory in months | Syria | al Jazeera}} It was then reported that the Free Syrian Army controlled all of the town except for a few checkpoints and the city's main hospital.

On 4 April 2013 the Syrian army launched an offensive against al-Qusayr, with the aim of capturing all villages around the rebel-held town and eventually the town itself. The Qusayr area is considered of strategic importance because it lies between the capital and the Mediterranean coast, and is close to the Lebanese border.

On 19 May 2013, the Syrian Army attempted to retake al-Qusayr. As of May 2013, there were over 25,000 civilians still living in the city.{{cite news | title=Hezbollah Aids Syrian Military in a Key Battle | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/world/middleeast/syrian-army-moves-to-rebel-held-qusayr.html?pagewanted=all | date=20 May 2013 | work=The New York Times| access-date=2013-05-27 | first1=Anne |last1=Barnard |author1-link=Anne Barnard |first2=Hwaida |last2=Saad |author2-link=Hwaida Saad }} As of the beginning of June 2013, the Syrian Army regained control over 50% of the city, including the strategic al-Qusayr Military Airbase.

On 5 June 2013, the Syrian Army finally regained control of al-Qusayr, after a rapid overnight attack, allowing some rebel fighters to flee to the neighbouring village of al-Dabaah.{{cite news|title=Syria: Assad forces take control of Qusayr in major breakthrough|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10099938/Syria-Assad-forces-take-control-of-Qusayr-in-major-breakthrough.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=5 June 2013|access-date=5 June 2013}}{{cite news|title=Syrian civil war: Bashar al-Assad's forces take strategic town of Qusayr|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-05/syrian-army-overruns-rebels-forces-in-qusayr/4735618|publisher=ABC|date=5 June 2013|access-date=5 June 2013}}

On December 8, 2024, the city was captured by the Syrian opposition during its large-scale offensive led by Tahrir Al-Sham.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-08 |title=Hezbollah convoy exits Syria’s Qusayr as opposition forces take over city, Syrian army sources say |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2582218/middle-east |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Arab News |language=en}}

In 1970 al-Qusayr had a population of 9,240.United States. Office of International Health. Division of Planning and Evaluation, 1977, p. 131. According to Syria's Central Bureau of Statistics, the city's population in the 2004 census was 29,818.[https://archive.today/20121204165131/http://www.cbssyr.org/new%20web%20site/General_census/census_2004/NH/TAB04-13-2004.htm General Census of Population and Housing 2004]. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Homs Governorate. {{in lang|ar}} The BBC estimated the population to be around 40,000 in 2011–2012. According to the 2004 census, there were 5,304 households in the city.

In 2012 al-Qusayr had a mixed population of Sunni Muslims and Catholics, along with a few hundred Alawites.Smith, 1841, p. 176. Today, most of the population follows Sunni Islam, as the Christians and Alawites were driven out after the rebel takeover.[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-town-idUSTRE8220F920120303 Syrian town struggles under siege, awaits attack]. Reuters. 3 March 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=31694&lan=eng |title=Fides Service - ASIA/SYRIA - Ultimatum to Christians: "Leave Qusayr" |access-date=2012-09-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817203003/http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=31694&lan=eng |archive-date=17 August 2012 }}

• Hadi al-Abdullah (born 1987), Syrian citizen journalist

Albert Cossery

The following villages and al-Qusayr city make up the nahiyah ("subdistrict") of al-Qusayr according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• al-Qusayr 29,818 / ({{langx|ar|القصير}})
• Rablah 5,328 / ({{langx|ar|ربلة}})
• al-Ghassaniyah 4,509 / ({{langx|ar|الغسانية}})
• al-Aqrabiyah (al-Buwaydah al-Gharbiyah) 4,326 ({{langx|ar|العقربية_البويضة الغربية}})
• al-Nizariyah 3,813 / ({{langx|ar|النيزارية}})
• Jusiyah al-Amar 3,447 / ({{langx|ar|جوسية العمار}})
• al-Buwaydah al-Sharqiyah 3,196 / ({{langx|ar|البويضة الشرقية}})
• al-Dabaah 3,129 / ({{langx|ar|الضبعة}})
• Shinshar 3,118 / ({{langx|ar|شنشار}})
• Dahiyat al-Majd 3,061 / ({{langx|ar|ضاحية المجد}})
• Zita al-Gharbiyah 2,922 / ({{langx|ar|زيتا الغربية}})
• Arjoun 2,465 / ({{langx|ar|عرجون}})
• an-Naim 2,290 / ({{langx|ar|الناعم}})
• Zira'ah 2,250 / ({{langx|ar|زراعة}})
• al-Hoz 2,239 / ({{langx|ar|الحوز}})
• Daminah al-Sharqiyah 1,893 / ({{langx|ar|دمينة الشرقية}})
• Jubaniyah (Ramtout) 1,857 / ({{langx|ar|(جوبانية (رام توت}})
• Dibbin 1,696 / ({{langx|ar|دبين}})
• Kafr Mousa 1610 / ({{langx|ar|كفر موسى}})
• al-Qurniyah 1,329 / ({{langx|ar|القرنية}})
• Mudan 1,230 / ({{langx|ar|مودان}})
• Bluzah 1,159 / ({{langx|ar|بلوزة}})
• Tell al-Nabi Mando (Qadesh) 1,068 /({{langx|ar|تل النبي مندو_قادش}})
• al-Hawi (al-Haweek) 1,050 / ({{langx|ar|الحاوي_الحاويك}})
• Husseiniya 1,018 / ({{langx|ar|الحسينية}})
• Daminah al-Gharbiyah 1,012 / ({{langx|ar|دمينة الغربية}})
• Samaqiat Gharbiyah 866 / ({{langx|ar|سماقيات غربية}})
• Samaqiat Sharqiyah 864 / ({{langx|ar|سماقيات شرقية}})
• al-Souadiyah 861 / ({{langx|ar|السوادية}})
• Hawsh Murshed Samaan 802 / ({{langx|ar|حوش مرشد سمعان}})
• al-Fadhliyah 798 / ({{langx|ar|الفاضلية}})
• al-Burhaniyah (al-Radwaniyah) 744 / ({{langx|ar|البرهانية_الرضوانية}})
• al-Saloumiyah 725 / ({{langx|ar|السلومية}})
• al-Shoumariyah 713 / ({{langx|ar|الشومرية}})
• Diyabiyah 698 / ({{langx|ar|ديابية}})
• Ras al-Ain (Hasabiyah) 690 / ({{langx|ar|رأس العين_حسابية}})
• Saqirjah (Ain al-Tannour) 674 / ({{langx|ar|سقرجة_عين التنور}})
• al-Sakher (Hit) 656 / ({{langx|ar|الصخر_هيت}})
• Abou Jouri 652 / ({{langx|ar|أبو جوري}})
• al-Masriyah 618 / ({{langx|ar|المصرية}})
• Hawsh al-Said Ali 541 / ({{langx|ar|حوش السيد علي}})
• al-Nahriyah 529 / ({{langx|ar|النهرية}})
• al-Hammam 526 / ({{langx|ar|الحمام}})
• al-Shiahat 520 / ({{langx|ar|الشياحات}})
• Ain al-Safa (Akoum) 506 / ({{langx|ar|عين الصفا_أكوم}})
• Kammam 474 / ({{langx|ar|كمام}})
• al-Hamra 431 / ({{langx|ar|الحمراء}})
• Wadi al-Hourani 379 / ({{langx|ar|وادي الحوراني}})
• al-Muh 377 / ({{langx|ar|الموح}})
• Umm Haratain Atiq 345 / ({{langx|ar|أم حارتين عتيق}})
• al-Aatafiyah 317 / ({{langx|ar|العاطفية}})
• al-Khaldiyah 270 / ({{langx|ar|الخالدية}})
• al-Masitbah 258 / ({{langx|ar|المصيطبة}})
• al-Buwait 181 / ({{langx|ar|البويت}})
• Dahiraj 156 / ({{langx|ar|دحيرج}})
• Wadi Hanna 138 / ({{langx|ar|وادي حنا}})
• al-Andalus 106 / ({{langx|ar|الأندلس}})
• Koukran (al-Sadiat) 102 / ({{langx|ar|كوكران_السعديات}})
• al-Hamidiyah 64 / ({{langx|ar|الحامدية}})
• al-Haidariyah 56 / ({{langx|ar|الحيدرية}})

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{Cite journal|title=Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A.D. 650 to 1500|url=https://archive.org/details/palestineundermo00lestuoft |first1=Guy|last1=le Strange|year=1890|publisher=Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund}}
• {{cite book|author=United States. Office of International Health. Division of Planning and Evaluation|title=Syncrisis: The Dynamics of Health, Issues 21–24|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8GwgAAAAMAAJ&q=Rastan|publisher=Office of International Health, Division of Planning and Evaluation; For Sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Office|year=1977}}
• {{cite book|first1=Eli|last1=Smith|first2=Edward|last2=Robinson|title=Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea: A Journal of Travels in the Year 1838|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vt0uAAAAQAAJ&q=d'Helfaya|publisher=Crocker and Brewster|volume=3|year=1841}}

{{Refend}}

{{Cities of Syria}}

{{Homs Governorate|qusayr}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Qusayr}}

Category:Cities in Syria

Category:Populated places in al-Qusayr District

Category:Christian communities in Syria