Daily Archives: December 18, 2022

City in al-Hasakah, Syria

Al-Hasakah[nb 1] (Arabic: , romanized:al-asaka;[1] Kurdish: Heseke/;[2][3][4] Syriac: Hasake[5]), is the capital city of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, in the northeastern corner of Syria. With a 2004 census population of 188,160,[6] it is the eighth most-populous city in Syria and the largest in Al-Hasakah Governorate. It is the administrative center of a Nahiyah ("subdistrict") consisting of 108 localities with a combined population of 251,570 in 2004.[6] Al-Hasakah is predominantly populated by Arabs with large numbers of Kurds, Assyrians and a smaller number of Armenians.

Al-Hasakah is 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of the city of Qamishli. The Khabur River, a tributary of the Euphrates River, flows westeast through the city. The Jaghjagh River flows into the Khabur from the north at Al-Hasakah. A portion of the city is a Syrian government-controlled enclave, comprising the city center and various government buildings, with the rest of the city (and the surrounding countryside) controlled by the AANES.[7]

An ancient tell has been identified in the city centre by Dominique Charpin as the location of the city of Qirdahat.[8] Another possibility is that it was the site of the ancient Aramean city of Magarisu, mentioned by the Assyrian king Ashur-bel-kala, who fought the Arameans near the city.[9] The etymology of "Magarisu" is Aramaic (from the root mgrys) and means "pasture land".[10] The city was the capital of the Aramean state of Bit-Yahiri, which was invaded by Assyrian kings Tukulti-Ninurta II and Ashurnasirpal II.[11]

Excavations in the tell discovered materials dating to the Middle-Assyrian, Byzantine and Islamic eras. The last level of occupation ended in the fifteenth century.[1] A period of 1,500 years separated the Middle-Assyrian and Byzantine levels.[12]

There are numerous other archaeological tells in the surrounding area, such as Tall Sulaymn, which is 7.6 kilometers to the north of the city.

In Ottoman times, the town was insignificant.[13] Today's settlement was established in April 1922 as a French military post, which soon grew into a town.[13] The establishment of new cities in northern Syria was deemed necessary by the authorities of the French Mandate because after the foundation of Turkey, all major economic centers were allocated to Turkey.[13] After the Armenian genocide and Assyrian/Syriac genocide in the Ottoman Empire, many refugees fled to the area after their expulsion and began to develop it in the 1920s.

During the French mandate period, Assyrians, fleeing ethnic cleansing in Iraq during the Simele massacre, established numerous villages along the Khabur River during the 1930s.[14] French troops were stationed on Citadel Hill at that time. In 1942, there were 7,835 inhabitants in Al-Hasakah, several schools, two churches and a gas station.[citation needed] The new city grew from the 1950s to become the administrative center of the region. The economic boom in the cities of Qamishli and Al-Hasakah was a result of the irrigation projects started in the 1960s, which transformed northeastern Syria into a cotton-growing area.

On 23 March 1993, a large fire broke out in the Al-Hasakah Central Prison after prisoners protested the conditions there, leaving 61 inmates dead and 90 others injured. The detainees accused the police chief and the Syrian forces of having set the fire. The government blamed five inmates, who were then executed on 24 May 1993.[15][16]

Syrian Government control

Syrian Kurdish control

On 26 January 2011, in one of the first events of the 2011 Syrian protests,[17] Hasan Ali Akleh from Al-Hasakah poured gasoline on himself and set himself on fire, in the same way Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi had in Tunis on 17 December 2010. According to eyewitnesses, the action was "a protest against the Syrian government".[18][19][bettersourceneeded]

In the Battle of Hasakah of summer 2015, the Syrian Government lost control of much of the city to the Islamic State, which was then captured by the YPG. Afterwards, some 75% of Hasakah and all of the surrounding countryside were under the administration of the Federation of Northern Syria Rojava, while only some inner-city areas were controlled by the Syrian government.[20][21][22] The United Nations estimates that violence related to the civil War has displaced up to 120,000 people.[23] On 1 August 2016, the Syrian Democratic Council opened a public office in Al-Hasakah.[24]

On 16 August 2016, the Battle of al-Hasakah (2016) started, with the YPG and Asayish capturing most of the remaining areas held by government forces.[25] On 23 August 2016, an agreement between the YPG and the Syrian Army resulted in a ceasefire within the city.[26] Al-Hasakah has since been part of the Jazira Region in the framework of the de facto autonomous Federation of Northern Syria Rojava.[27][28]

In January 2021, Al-Hasakh, along with Qamishli, came under siege by the Asayish due to disputes with the Damascus government.

On 20 January 2022, the al-Sina'a prison came under attack by Islamic State forces who attempted to free ex-IS fighters that were incarcerated inside the prison. Following the initial attack, clashes spread to the neighbourhoods of al-Zuhour and Ghuwayran. After a 6-day battle, SDF and Coalition forces managed to push back the attack and secure the area. After thwarting their attack on Ghweran prison, they barricaded themselves in the Faculty of Economics building in the Syrian government-controlled areas in the city of Hasaka, targeting civilians and the movements of the internal security forces' vehicles. Accordingly, international coalition warplanes bombed the college building.[29][30]

The Hasakah Security Box is a Syrian government enclave within Al-Hasakah, established in August 2016.[31] It contains the prison, immigration office, mayor's palace, police headquarters, and local army command center.[31][32][33]

Following the second battle for the city in 2015, the Syrian government controlled 25% of the city while Rojava controlled 75%.On August 16, 2016, a small skirmish erupted into the third Battle of al-Hasakah between Asayish alongside YPG and the Syrian government for al-Hasakah. After a week-long battle, Kurdish fighters secured control over 95% of the city.[34]

Russia mediated a ceasefire that was put into place on August 23, 2016.[35] Only civilian police officers and interior ministry forces were allowed to return to the Security Box to protect the government's department buildings. In July 2018, the Syrian Army raised the Syrian flag over the Al-Nashwa District that previously was controlled by the YPG and the Asayish security forces in the city of Hasakah.[36] However, in September through November 2019, Asayish forces were still present in al-Nashwa district and able to make arrests.[37][38]

Al-Hasakah has a Mediterranean-influenced semi-arid climate (BSh) with very hot dry summers and cool wet winters with occasional frosty nights.

In 1939, French mandate authorities reported[40] the following population numbers for different ethnic/religious groups in al-Hasakah city centre:

In 1992, Al-Hasakah was described as "an Arab city with a growing Kurdish population." Christiansmostly Assyrians, plus a smaller number of Armeniansalso live in the city.[42][43]In 2004, the city's population was 188,160.[citation needed] Al-Hasakah has an ethnically diverse population of Arabs, Kurds and Assyrians, with a smaller number of Armenians.[42][43]

There are more than forty mosques in the city, as well as at least nine church buildings, serving a large number of Christians of various rites. The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary is the episcopal see of the non-metropolitan Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Al Hasakah-Nisibis, which depends directly on the Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch.

The city of Al-Hasakah is divided into 5 districts, which are Al-Madinah, Al-Aziziyah, Ghuwayran, Al-Nasra and Al-Nashwa. These districts, in turn, are divided into 29 neighborhoods.[44]

Al-Jazeera SC Hasakah is the largest football club in the city and plays at Bassel al-Assad Stadium.

Saint George Syriac Orthodox Cathedral

Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Al Hasakah-Nisibis

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Al-Hasakah - Wikipedia

RankCountry / DependencyTotal in km2 (mi2)Land in km2 (mi2)Water in km2 (mi2)% waterNotes World510,072,000 (196,940,000)148,940,000 (57,510,000)361,132,000 (139,434,000)70.81Russia17,098,246 (6,601,670)16,378,410 (6,323,740)719,836 (277,930)4.21The largest country in the world, which spans two continents, and most of northern Eurasia; with about 10.995% (about 1/9th) of the world's total landmass. Russia's European portion is roughly 4,000,000 km2, which is around 40% of the total landmass of Europe, making Russia the largest country in Europe; and its Asian portion, which covers all of Northern Asia, is around 13,100,000 km2, making Russia the largest country in Asia. Antarctica14,200,000 (5,500,000)14,200,000 (5,500,000)0 (0)013,916,000km2 (5,373,000sqmi) (98%) of the land area is covered by ice and snow. Though not itself a country, areas of Antarctica are claimed by a number of countries.[Note 3]2Canada[Note 1]9,984,670 (3,855,100)9,093,507 (3,511,023)891,163 (344,080)8.93Largest English- and largest French-speaking country; largest country completely in the Western Hemisphere by total area (second-largest by land area after the United States); with the largest surface area of water; largest contiguous country in North America; Total area and water area figures include area covered by freshwater only and do not include internal waters (non-freshwater) of about 1,600,000 km2, nor territorial waters of 200,000 km2.[4][5]3/4China9,596,961 (3,705,407)9,326,410 (3,600,950)270,550 (104,460)2.82Largest country entirely in Asia, and second-largest country in the world by land area. Excludes Taiwan, disputed territories with India, and disputed islands in the South China Sea. Figures for total area and water area also exclude all coastal and territorial waters.[Note 4]United States9,525,067 (3,677,649) 9,833,517 (3,796,742)[7]9,147,593 (3,531,905) 9,147,643 (3,531,925)[7]377,424 (145,724) 685,924 (264,837)[7]3.966.97Largest English-speaking country by land area and largest country in the Western Hemisphere by land area (second-largest by total area after Canada). Secondary figures for total area and water area include all coastal and territorial waters.[Note 4]5Brazil8,515,767 (3,287,956)8,460,415 (3,266,584)55,352 (21,372)0.65Largest Portuguese-speaking country, largest country in South America, largest country in the Southern Hemisphere,[Note 5] and the largest contiguous territory in the Americas.[11]6Australia7,692,024 (2,969,907)7,633,565 (2,947,336)58,459 (22,571)0.76Third-largest English-speaking country and largest country in Oceania, largest island country, and the largest country completely in the Southern Hemisphere.[Note 6]7India3,287,263 (1,269,219)2,973,190 (1,147,960)314,073 (121,264)9.55Second-largest country entirely in Asia and largest country in South Asia.[Note 7]8Argentina2,780,400 (1,073,500)2,736,690 (1,056,640)43,710 (16,880)1.57Largest Spanish-speaking country and second-largest country in South America.[Note 8]9Kazakhstan2,724,900 (1,052,100)2,699,700 (1,042,400)25,200 (9,700)0.92Largest landlocked country.[16] The world's largest Muslim-majority country by land area (and the northernmost). Second-largest Russian-speaking country after Russia, and the largest country in Central Asia. Transcontinental country located in Asia and Europe.10Algeria2,381,741 (919,595)2,381,741 (919,595)0 (0)0Largest country in Africa; also largest in the Arab world and the Mediterranean Basin.[Note 9]11DR Congo2,344,858 (905,355)2,267,048 (875,312)77,810 (30,040)3.32Second-largest French-speaking country. Largest country in Central and Sub-Saharan Africa. Second-largest country in Africa, has the largest French-speaking city (Kinshasa). Kingdom of Denmark2,220,093 (857,183)2,220,072 (857,175)21 (8.1)0UN figure does not include the entire Kingdom area. Greenland (Denmark)2,166,086 (836,330)2,166,086 (836,330)[Note 10]0 (0)0Largest island in the world, largest territory in the Kingdom of Denmark, and the largest inhabited non-sovereign territory in the world.12Saudi Arabia2,149,690 (830,000)2,149,690 (830,000)0 (0)0Largest country in Western Asia. Second-largest in the Arab world after Algeria.13Mexico1,964,375 (758,449)1,943,945 (750,561)20,430 (7,890)1.04Second-largest Spanish-speaking country by area after Argentina; largest Spanish-speaking country by number of speakers.14Indonesia1,904,569 (735,358)1,811,569 (699,451)93,000 (36,000)4.85Transcontinental country located in Asia and Oceania. Largest country in Southeast Asia. Largest archipelagic state in the world by area and population.[18]15Sudan1,861,484 (718,723)1,731,671 (668,602)129,813 (50,121)6.97 [Note 11]Third-largest country in Africa and third-largest in the Arab world.[1][19]16Libya1,759,540 (679,360)1,759,540 (679,360)0 (0)017Iran1,648,195 (636,372)1,531,595 (591,352)116,600 (45,000)7.07Second-largest country in Western Asia and fourth-largest completely in Asia after China, India, and Saudi Arabia. [Note 12]18Mongolia1,564,110 (603,910)1,553,556 (599,831)10,560 (4,080)0.68Second-largest landlocked country and largest that does not border a closed sea.19Peru1,285,216 (496,225)1,279,996 (494,209)5,220 (2,020)0.41Third-largest Spanish-speaking country and third-largest country in South America.20Chad1,284,000 (496,000)1,259,200 (486,200)24,800 (9,600)1.93Third-largest landlocked country and largest outside of Asia. Fifth-largest country in Africa.21Niger1,267,000 (489,000)1,266,700 (489,100)300 (120)0.02Largest country in West Africa.22Angola1,246,700 (481,400)1,246,700 (481,400)0 (0)023Mali1,240,192 (478,841)1,220,190 (471,120)20,002 (7,723)1.6124South Africa1,221,037 (471,445)1,214,470 (468,910)4,620 (1,780)0.38Largest country in Southern Africa.25Colombia1,141,748 (440,831)1,038,700 (401,000)100,210 (38,690)8.826Ethiopia1,104,300 (426,400)1,000,000 (390,000)104,300 (40,300)0.7Largest country in East Africa.[Note 13]27Bolivia1,098,581 (424,164)1,083,301 (418,265)15,280 (5,900)1.3928Mauritania1,030,700 (398,000)1,025,520 (395,960)4,480 (1,730)0.4429Egypt1,002,450 (387,050)995,450 (384,350)6,000 (2,300)0.6Transcontinental country located in Asia and Africa.30Tanzania945,087 (364,900)885,800 (342,000)61,500 (23,700)6.4931Nigeria923,768 (356,669)910,768 (351,649)13,000 (5,000)1.4132Venezuela916,445 (353,841)882,050 (340,560)30,000 (12,000)3.29[Note 14]33Pakistan881,913 (340,509)856,690 (330,770)25,223 (9,739)2.86[Note 15]34Namibia825,615 (318,772)823,290 (317,870)2,425 (936)0.1235Mozambique801,590 (309,500)786,380 (303,620)13,000 (5,000)1.6336Turkey783,562 (302,535)769,632 (297,157)13,930 (5,380)1.78Transcontinental country located in Asia and Europe.37Chile756,102 (291,933)743,812 (287,187)12,290 (4,750)1.63[Note 16]38Zambia752,612 (290,585)743,398 (287,028)9,220 (3,560)1.2339Myanmar676,578 (261,228)653,508 (252,321)23,070 (8,910)3.41

Second largest country in Southeast Asia.

Largest country in Southern Europe and second-largest member state of European Union.

Largest island country in Europe and Western Hemisphere.[Note 29]

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List of countries and dependencies by area - Wikipedia