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Qudsaya

Coordinates: 33°32′N 36°13′E / 33.533°N 36.217°E / 33.533; 36.217
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Qudsaya
قدسيا
Qudsaya is located in Syria
Qudsaya
Qudsaya
Location in Syria
Coordinates: 33°32′N 36°13′E / 33.533°N 36.217°E / 33.533; 36.217
CountrySyria
GovernorateRif Dimashq
DistrictQudsaya
SubdistrictQudsaya
Control Syrian opposition
Elevation
800 m (2,600 ft)
Population
 (2004 census)[1]
 • Total
33,571

Qudsaya (Arabic: قدسيا, romanizedQudsayā) 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.[1] Adjacent to the town is the modern suburb of Dahiyat Qudsaya. The city mostly consists of Alawites and Circassians.

History

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During the Syrian Civil War, the town was taken by the rebels and blockaded by the government in 2012.[2] A truce ending the blockade was reached in November 2013.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5][6] The agreement was completed on the following day, with rebels being allowed to leave along with their family members.[7]

Geography

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Climate

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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 15.9 °C (60.6 °F). About 258 mm (10.16 in) of precipitation falls annually.

Climate data for Qudsaya
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 10.8
(51.4)
12.5
(54.5)
16.2
(61.2)
21.2
(70.2)
26.8
(80.2)
31.6
(88.9)
34.0
(93.2)
34.4
(93.9)
30.8
(87.4)
25.9
(78.6)
18.8
(65.8)
13.1
(55.6)
23.0
(73.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.3
(34.3)
2.0
(35.6)
4.3
(39.7)
7.6
(45.7)
11.1
(52.0)
14.4
(57.9)
16.1
(61.0)
16.3
(61.3)
13.5
(56.3)
10.4
(50.7)
6.3
(43.3)
3.1
(37.6)
8.9
(47.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 60
(2.4)
47
(1.9)
30
(1.2)
15
(0.6)
10
(0.4)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
10
(0.4)
31
(1.2)
55
(2.2)
258
(10.2)
Source: Climate-Data.org, Climate data

References

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  1. ^ a b General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Rif Dimashq Governorate. (in Arabic)
  2. ^ "Syrian army reported to be carrying out a major offensive on Qudsaya". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Truce Reached In Blockaded Town Of Qudsaya". Huffington Post. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Qudsaya siege: Syrian rebels transferred to Idlib under deal". Al-Araby. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  5. ^ Adra, Zen (12 October 2016). "Syria: Rebels hand over weapons as per evacuation deal". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  6. ^ استمرار عمليات إدخال حافلات إلى قدسيا والهامة لتهجير من تبقى من المقاتلين وعوائلهم SOHR (13 October 2016)
  7. ^ Displacing of hundreds of fighters and their families from al-Hameh and Qudsayya is completed SOHR (13 October 2016)