Intiqad Visits Syrian Towns Adjacent to Hermel: In face of Rebels’ Criminality, Lebanese to Defend Themselves
Ghassan Qanso
Rita, Ghassaniya, Rabla are a few names of twenty three Syrian towns and villages located adjacent to the Lebanese Hermel region.
Since hundreds of years, Lebanese citizens lived in the mentioned villages, which are located inside the Syrian territories. Today, more than 30000 Lebanese citizen reside in the towns and own large portions of its lands.
However, they are still linked with strong ties and relationships with their families, clans, and relatives in Lebanon. Among these Lebanese is MP Ghazi Zaiter, whose father was an elder of the region.
Moreover, former House Speaker Sabri Hamadeh owned a house in the region. Similarly, the Lebanese Hamadeh family owns a wide range of lands in the above mentioned villages.
Paradoxically, the lands of al-Nahriyeh which the Syrian armed groups crowd in today, belongs to the former minister. In parallel, the Fadllia town is known for its name because it is owned by Fadlallah Hamada.
These Syrian villages are divided into sections, Western and Eastern.
The West includes the following towns: Hanna Valley, Haoak, Jermash, as-Soudor, Blouza, as-Smakiet, and Fadllia. The famous families in these villages are an-Nimer, Medlej, Zuaiter, al-Jamal, Noun, Jafar, Sakr, and Obeid.
For its part, the eastern section includes the following parts: al-Skmanah, Zeta, as-Sawdawiyeh, Motrebah, al-Moaserah, Gantaliehh, Safsafa, al-Hamam, al-Nahriyeh, Ain Adamamel, Bhore, Jerosah, al-Qseir, Diabia, Cochran, and Rabla.
The most prominent families of these eastern villages are Medlej, Ghorab, Idris, al-Badawi, Raydan, Hamada, Sakr, and Safwan.
These villages were characterized by stability and tranquility for decades, where people used to share joys and miseries with their neighbors in the towns and villages, regardless of their sects and affiliations.
In a tour that included most of the villages, al-Intiqad visited the region and reported scary witnesses from there.
Mohamed Ghorab from as-Smakiet village uncovered details of how the so-called Syrian "rebels" raided his home.
"We used to enjoy peace and security, but we were surprised at the beginning of the crisis that the armed groups stormed our homes by their machine guns and rockets," he clarified.
He further stated that "his house was shelled while three of his neighbors were martyred, among whom was a two-year old child."
Meanwhile, Ghorab added that "one of his neighbors was abducted from his home and that his fate remains unknown."
At this point, Ghorab's seven years old son, Hamza, interfered.
"The gunmen attacked, fired, and frightened us," he stressed.
For his part, a resident of the Ghassanyieh village narrated to "al-Intiqad" some of the incidents from which their town suffered.
"Our village was peaceful and decided not to interfere in the Syrian crisis," he said, and noted that "the militants performed all kinds of criminality: they killed, slaughtered, kidnapped and prevented the handing of bread and basic life goods to the town."
Moving to Zeta town, which suffered a series of attacks from insurgents, the Lebanese citizens insisted that "the daily facts are tragic."
As they slammed the absence of the Lebanese state from protecting its citizens, the people declared "We were obliged to buy arms and launch a campaign to defend our villages and livelihoods."
"We sold some of our goods and properties to form civil guard and surveillance committees to repel any aggression," they added.
In this context, a member of People's Committee in Zeta "Jafar," revealed: "We were living a normal life, until the other side decided to expel us."
"We decided to defend ourselves, after our state abandoned itself from defending its Lebanese citizens. Thus, we sold some of our properties and decided to defend ourselves.
Similarly, one of the villagers, Abu Ali, stated that villagers used to dissociate themselves from the Syrian crisis, taking place between the regime and rebels.
"However, when the knife reached our necks, we had to defend our dignity and honor," he said.
Abu Ali further urged the Lebanese state to perform the minimum level of its duties by preventing the smuggling of weapons from the Lebanese side asserting "because we are being killed and tortured by these arms."
Source: al-Intiqad, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
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