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Al-Shaykh Maskin

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Al-Shaykh Maskin (Arabic: الشيخ مسكين, romanized: Al-Sheikh Meskīn), also spelled Sheikh Maskīn, Sheikh Miskeen, is a town in southern Syria, administratively part of the Daraa Governorate, located north of Daraa. Nearby localities include Ibta' and Da'el to the south, Khirbet al-Ghazaleh the southeast, Izra' to the northeast, Nawa to the northwest and Al-Shaykh Saad to the west. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) census, al-Shaykh Maskin had a population of 24,057 in 2004.[1] The inhabitants are predominantly Sunni Muslims.[2]

al-Shaykh Maskin
الشيخ مسكين
Town
al-Shaykh Maskin, November 2012
al-Shaykh Maskin, November 2012
al-Shaykh Maskin is located in Syria
al-Shaykh Maskin
al-Shaykh Maskin
Coordinates: 32°49′42″N 36°9′31.5″E / 32.82833°N 36.158750°E / 32.82833; 36.158750
Grid position258/248 PAL
Country Syria
GovernorateDaraa
DistrictIzra'
Subdistrictal-Shaykh Maskin
Population
 (2004 census)[1]
 • Total24,057
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Name

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Clermont-Ganneau theorised that the town's name came from "The leper Sheik", that is Biblical Job.[3]

History

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Roman and Byzantine periods

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Al-Shaykh Maskin has been identified as the ancient Roman-era site of "Neapolis." By the 4th-century, Neapolis had grown to become a city.[4]

A church was consecrated there in 517 during Byzantine rule.[5] In his short article in the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1911, Siméon Vailhé reported that many authorities at that time thought that Al-Shaykh Maskin might be the site of the ancient city and bishopric of Maximianopolis in Arabia,[6] whose identification with nearby Shaqqa is today accepted.[7][8]

Ottoman period

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The Ottoman Empire annexed the region in 1516. During this period al-Shaykh Maskin was settled by local Bedouin tribesmen and benefited from the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca by supplying pilgrim caravans with camels for transportation.[9] In 1596 al-Shaykh Maskin appeared in the Ottoman tax registers as Samsakin and was part of the nahiya of Bani Malik al-Asraf in the Qada Hawran. It had an entirely Muslim population consisting of 56 households and 17 bachelors. A fixed tax rate of 40% was paid on wheat, barley, summer crops, goats and/or beehives; a total of 17,250 akçe. 1/3 of the revenue went to a waqf.[10]

In the 1850s al-Shaykh Maskin contained about 100 houses and all of its inhabitants were Muslims.[11] The town's chief commodity during the 19th-century was grain, which it exported locally. Timber and cloth were the principal imports. Goods traffic was concentrated in the town's railway station which also served all the villages between Sheikh Maskin and the Lajat region. In the It grew considerably between 1891 and 1900.[12] The town hosted the administrative offices of Hauran's local government in the latter half of this century.[13] The population was "exclusively Muslim" according to John Murray.[2]

Its sheikh ("chief") was Ahmed al-Hariri also known as Ahmed al-Turk who served as the Sheikh Mushaikh al-Hauran ("chief of chiefs of the Hauran"). His tribe claimed descent from the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and were thus known as sharifs. In the wake of the 1860 confrontations between the region's Druze and Christians, Sheikh Ahmed al-Turk led a force of 200 tribesmen to Daraa, rescuing the over 500 Christians in that town from an impending attack by the Druze of the Lejah who his forces successfully routed. He subsequently notified all the tribal chieftains of the area to spare the Christians living in the towns under his authority, to which all the tribes conformed.[2]

In 1895 al-Shaykh Maskin became a refuge for the residents of some dozen villages destroyed by Druze fighters in response to an Ottoman decree ordering the conscription of Druze men into the Ottoman army. Ottoman troops mobilized at al-Shaykh Maskin in preparation of the conscription expedition against the Druze which was launched from the town on 15 October.[14] Vital Cuinet wrote in 1896 that al-Shaykh Maskin's population of 800 included 400 Muslims and 400 Greek Orthodox,[15] while Gottlieb Schumacher described it in 1897 as "large and prosperous".[16]

Syrian Civil War

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The town was under rebels′ control as a result of the battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin at the end of 2014.

Second Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin

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Main article: Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin (2015–2016)
 
Map of the battle for Shaykh Maskin

Early on 27 December, the 15th Brigade of the 5th Armoured Division of the Syrian Army launched the operation to capture Al-Shaykh Maskin, attacking its northern and eastern flanks.[17] Over the following two days, the Russian air force conducted over 80 air-strikes on the town.[18]

On 29 December, the Army captured the Brigade 82 military base, on the outskirts of Al-Shaykh Maskin, as well as the northern part of the town itself.[19] Government forces then temporarily lost the base due to bad weather, but retook it again overnight.[20] The following day, government forces continued with their attempts to take full control of Al-Shaykh Maskin[21] and captured the eastern part of the town.[22][21] This left them in control of half of Al-Shaykh Maskin.[23] They reached the town's main square,[24] as well as the Al-'Umari Mosque (north of the city center), while the rebels issued a distress call for reinforcements.[25] The Army's advances were supported by another 15 Russian air-strikes.[26]

Further attempts by the Army to advance were made between 2 and 4 January,[27] as 43 more Russian air-strikes hit the town.[28][29]

Failed rebel counter-attack

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On 5 January, the rebels launched a counter-attack towards the Brigade 82 base. At the same time, the 15th Brigade, supported by NDF units, continued making attempts to advance to Tal Hamad hill, west of the town, but were unsuccessful. By this point, the military was in control of 55–60% of Al-Shaykh Maskin.[30] By the evening, the rebel counter-attack stalled.[31] The next day, the rebels renewed their counter-assault and stormed the southern perimeter of the Brigade 82 headquarters.[32] However, eventually, this second assault failed as well.[33] The Russian Air Force conducted 12 air-strikes throughout the day.[34]

A third unsuccessful rebel assault was launched on the morning of 8 January, against the walls of the Brigade 82 Housing Facility. Rebel fighters were hampered by poor weather, fierce resistance and Russian air-strikes.[35] Opposition sources confirmed that since the start of the battle for Al-Shaykh Maskin the rebels had suffered ”major material and human losses", but reported they were still preparing to make new attempts to regain the base.[36]

The Syrian Army captures Al-Shaykh Maskin

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Between 9 and 10 January, 33 air-strikes were conducted against Al-Shaykh Maskin.[37]

On 11 January, government forces captured a total of 17 buildings in the southern part of the city[38] and two days later, another 35 buildings, thus seizing the southern part of the town, and leaving them in control of 80 percent of Al-Shaykh Maskin.[39]

Between 23 and 24 January, the military captured Al-Zaheriyah school and its surrounding area, as well as the town of Al-Burj on the outskirts of Al-Shaykh Maskin, after more than 40 air-strikes were conducted.[40] However, the rebels were able to recapture the school.[41] Still, Army advances continued as they took control of more positions in the town,[42] which included the Al-Bassam Mosque, parts of the Al-Diri neighborhood and large sections of the Saydaliyat road.[43]

During the night before 25 January, when the final Army assault was supposed to commence, a military detachment was sent to capture a height overlooking the town, from which the rebels could detect the military's planned attack from the north of the town. The fighting was heavy, but a heavy rain helped the Army unit climb up the height without being detected. The unit was then attacked from three sides, during which its commander, Mohammed Fares, was wounded. The detachment managed to hold the height until reinforcements arrived.[44]

The next morning, the Syrian Army launched its operation from the north side of the town and rapidly advanced, linking up with troops coming in from the east.[44][45] The fighting started 08:30 am, and shortly thereafter the SAA's 15th Brigade captured the Al-'Umari Mosque.[46] The military made gains in the northwestern neighborhood of Al-Shaykh Maskin, as well as other parts of the town, while they were covered by 25 air-strikes.[47] The heaviest fighting of the day took place in the Al-Diri District.[48] However, after seizing Al-Diri, the rebels were left with only two building blocks under their control.[46] The Army's advances also enabled them to monitor all roads leading from the town to other nearby areas.[49] Many rebels started withdrawing from the town, mainly towards Ibta' and Nawa.[50] By 10:30 pm, the military had cleared Al-Shaykh Maskin of all rebel resistance.[46][51] By the end of the battle, 70% of the city had been rendered uninhabitable.[52]

References

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  1. ^ a b General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Daraa Governorate. (in Arabic)
  2. ^ a b c Royal Geographical Society, 1862, p. 88.
  3. ^ Clermont-Ganneau, 1902, p. 12
  4. ^ Butcher, 2003, p. 120
  5. ^ Walter, 2003, p. 152.
  6. ^ Siméon Vailhé, "Maximopolis" in Catholic Encyclopedia (New York 1911)
  7. ^ UNESCO, Les villages antiques du nord de la Syrie, pp. 115-116
  8. ^ Butcher, 2003, p. 157
  9. ^ Lancaster, 1999, p. 37
  10. ^ Hütteroth and Abdulfattah, 1977, p. 213.
  11. ^ Porter, 1858, p. 532
  12. ^ Smith, 1901, p. 361.
  13. ^ Smith, 1901, p. 360.
  14. ^ Firro, 1992, p. 232
  15. ^ Vital Cuinet (1896). Syrie, Liban et Palestine. Géographie Administrative, Statistique, Descriptive et Raisonnée. Paris: Ernest Leroux. p. 468.
  16. ^ Schumacher, 1897, p. 171
  17. ^ "Breaking: Syrian Army storms town of Sheikh Miskeen in northern Daraa". Al-Masdar News. 27 December 2015. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  18. ^ "Syrian army recaptures strategic town from IS". Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  19. ^ "Syrian troops advance in south and center, drive back rebels". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  20. ^ "Syrian army backed by jets clashes with rebels holding southern town". Business Insider. 30 December 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  21. ^ a b Edward (30 December 2015). "The regime forces keep on trying to take complete control of Sheikh Meskin town". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  22. ^ "Syrian Army captures the east district of Sheikh Miskeen". Al-Masdar News. 30 December 2015. Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  23. ^ "@deSyracuse Syria civil war (3 Jan 2016) - uMap". Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  24. ^ "Syria conflict: Troops battle rebels for key southern town". BBC News. 30 December 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  25. ^ "Breaking: Syrian Army reaches the Al-Umari Mosque inside Sheikh Miskeen". Al-Masdar News. 30 December 2015. Archived from the original on 30 December 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  26. ^ jack (30 December 2015). "15 airstrikes target Shekh Meskin and continued clashes around the town". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  27. ^ Edward (2 January 2016). "Clashes in Sheikh Meskin and in the vicinity of Burj al-Qasab in the countryside of Latakia". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  28. ^ Edward (3 January 2016). "More than 50 airstrikes on areas of al-Qaryatayn and Sheikh Meskin town in the countryside of Homs and Daraa". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  29. ^ jack (4 January 2016). "More Russian airstrikes target Shekh Meskin". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  30. ^ "Battle for Sheikh Miskeen intensifies as Islamists counter at Battalion 82 HQ". Al-Masdar News. 5 January 2016. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  31. ^ "Islamist counter-offensive at Sheikh Miskeen stalls: several militants killed". Al-Masdar News. 5 January 2016. Archived from the original on 8 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  32. ^ "Breaking: Islamist rebels storm the Battalion 82 Headquarters in Sheikh Miskeen". Al-Masdar News. 6 January 2016. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  33. ^ "Islamist rebels defeated at Battalion 82 in Sheikh Miskeen". Al-Masdar News. 7 January 2016. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  34. ^ Edward (7 January 2016). "12 airstrikes target Sheikh Meskin and bombing the countryside of Al-Quneitra". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  35. ^ "Islamist rebels fail to capture Battalion 82 base for the 3rd time in 72 hours". Al-Masdar News. 8 January 2016. Archived from the original on 8 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  36. ^ "Forces fight for strategic Syrian gateway to south - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  37. ^ Edward (10 January 2016). "About 45 airstrike target Sheikh Meskin and other towns and cities in Daraa". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  38. ^ "Syrian Army seizes several building blocks inside of Sheikh Miskeen". Al-Masdar News. 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  39. ^ "Syrian Army captures a large part of Sheikh Miskeen in northern Daraa". Al-Masdar News. 13 January 2016. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  40. ^ "Syrian Army make advancements in Sheikh Miskeen (Video)". Al-Masdar News. 24 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  41. ^ Edward (24 January 2016). "11 fighters killed in Sheikh Meskin clashes and intensive raids". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  42. ^ Edward (24 January 2016). "19 raids target Sheikh Meskin amid continued offensive by the regime forces on the town and its outskirts". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  43. ^ "Battle update from Sheikh Miskeen (Photos & Video)". Al-Masdar News. 24 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  44. ^ a b "Шейх-Мискин - первая крупная победа сирийских войск на южном фронте". 28 January 2016.
  45. ^ jack (25 January 2016). "Clashes in Shekh Meskin and Lattakia countryside". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  46. ^ a b c "Syrian Army captures strategic city of Sheikh Miskeen in northern Daraa". Al-Masdar News. 26 January 2016. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  47. ^ Edward (25 January 2016). "25 raids target Sheikh Meskin and cover the advancement of the regime forces in the town". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  48. ^ "Syrian Army continues to advance in Sheikh Miskeen: Al-Umari Mosque captured". Al-Masdar News. 25 January 2016. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  49. ^ Edward (25 January 2016). "The violent clashes continue in Sheikh Meskin and in the Western Ghouta". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  50. ^ "Syrian army advances in strategic city in southern region". Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  51. ^ Edward (26 January 2016). "The regime forces backed by Iranian and Hezbollah officers fully control Sheikh Meskin and the clashes continue in its vicinity". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  52. ^ Edward (26 January 2016). "Clashes in the vicinity of the strategic town of Sheikh Meskin". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights.

Bibliography

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