al-Zahraa
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Al-Zahraa
| native_name = {{lang|ar|الزهراء}}
| image_skyline =
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| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = Syria
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg}} Syria
| subdivision_type1 = Governorate
| subdivision_name1 = Aleppo Governorate
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = A'zaz District
| subdivision_type3 = Nahiyah
| subdivision_name3 = Nubl
| parts_type = Control
| parts_style = para
| p1 = Syrian transitional government
| settlement_type = Town
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| population_as_of = 2004 census
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| population_total = 13,780
| timezone = EET
| utc_offset = +2
| timezone_DST = EEST
| utc_offset_DST = +3
| coordinates = {{coord|36|21|30.9|N|37|00|38.4|E|region:SY|display=inline}}
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Al-Zahraa ({{langx|ar|الزهراء|az-Zahrāʾ}}) is a town in northern Syria, administratively part of the A'zaz District of Aleppo Governorate, located northwest of Aleppo. Nearby localities include Tell Rifaat and Mayer to the northeast and Anadan to the south. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, al-Zahraa had a population of 13,780 in the 2004 census.[http://www.cbssyr.org/new%20web%20site/General_census/census_2004/NH/TAB02-26-2004.htm General Census of Population and Housing 2004] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121209125758/http://www.cbssyr.org/new%20web%20site/General_census/census_2004/NH/TAB02-26-2004.htm |date=2012-12-09 }}. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Aleppo Governorate. {{in lang|ar}} Al-Zahraa has a predominantly Shia Muslim population and, along with nearby Nubl, forms a small Shia-inhabited pocket in a mostly Sunni Muslim area in the Aleppo Governorate.
Syrian Civil War
{{main|Siege of Nubl and Al-Zahraa}}
Nubl and al-Zahraa were under siege by the anti-government Free Syrian Army (FSA), al-Nusra Front (al-Qaeda's Syrian branch), and Ahrar al-Sham. Movement out of Nubl was severely curtailed, and it relied on goods being airlifted by the Syrian Army. Although relations between the inhabitants of Nubl and the surrounding villages were normally friendly, during the ongoing Syrian civil war, anti-government supporters from nearby Sunni villages have claimed that Nubl and al-Zahraa hosted pro-government militias that have launched attacks against opposition supporters. There were numerous tit-for-tat kidnappings between Nubl and pro-opposition villages in the vicinity.Hendawi, Hamza. [https://news.yahoo.com/syria-sunni-rebels-besiege-shiite-villages-193533327.html In Syria, Sunni rebels besiege Shiite villages]. Yahoo News. Originally published by Associated Press. 2012-10-18,Landis, Joshua. [http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=16590 Clinton Helps Shape New Syrian Gov in Exile] Syria Comment. 2012-11-01. After months of rebel siege and continuous reciprocal kidnappings, popular committees in the two towns agreed to begin negotiations with Sunni rebels on 27 March 2013. The agreement to negotiate was organised by Kurdish parties from the neighboring Kurd Dagh region, which is controlled by Kurdish fighters of the PYD. The talks were brokered by Kurds, and several kidnapped individuals were freed on both sides.{{cite news|url=https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nowsyrialatestnews/syria-kurds-help-shiite-sunni-fighters-negotiate|title=Syria Kurds help Shiite, Sunni fighters negotiate|last=AFP|date=27 March 2013|publisher=NOW|access-date=27 March 2013|archive-date=5 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705004008/https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nowsyrialatestnews/syria-kurds-help-shiite-sunni-fighters-negotiate|url-status=dead}}
On 3 February 2016, an offensive by the Syrian Arab Army and Hezbollah ended the siege.{{Cite journal|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2016/Feb-03/335430-hezbollah-syrian-army-break-rebel-siege-of-northern-shiite-towns-nubol-and-zahraa-security-source.ashx|title = Hezbollah, Syrian army break rebel siege of northern Shiite towns|journal = The Daily Star}}
The town came briefly under the control of the Kurdish-led SDF after the withdrawal of pro-Assad forces on November 30, 2024, to evacuate Kurdish IDPs from the Shahba Canton.{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-11-30 |title=Following withdrawal of Iranian-backed militias and regime forces - Kurdish forces deploy in Aleppo international airport, Nubl and Al-Zahraa and take control of checkpoints |url=https://www.syriahr.com/en/350205/ |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights |language=en-CA}}{{cite news |date=2 December 2024 |title=In harsh humanitarian conditions, tens of thousands of displaced people from Afrin and the people of the Shahba region gathered, waiting to be transferred to the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood |url=https://www.syriahr.com/%d8%a8%d8%b8%d8%b1%d9%88%d9%81-%d8%a5%d9%86%d8%b3%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%ac%d9%85%d8%b9-%d8%b9%d8%b4%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a2%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%81-%d8%a7%d9%84/738700/ |access-date=13 March 2025 |publisher=Syrian Observatory for Human Rights |language=Arabic}}{{cite news |date=2 December 2024 |title=Mazloum Abdi: Our efforts are continuing to secure a safe exit for the residents of Tal Rifaat and al-Shahba |url=https://www.rudawarabia.net/arabic/kurdistan/02122024 |access-date=13 March 2025 |publisher=Rudaw |language=Arabic}} Afterwards, militants of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took over.{{Cite news |last=Farmer |first=Ben |date=2024-11-30 |title=Syrian rebels capture Aleppo airport as they seize ‘most’ of city |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/11/30/syrian-rebels-capture-aleppo-airport-seize-majority-city/ |access-date=13 March 2025 |work=The Daily Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Aleppo Governorate|azaz}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zahraa}}
Category:Populated places in Azaz District