Darayya داريا
Darayya Location in Syria
Coordinates: 33°27′N 36°15′E / 33.450°N 36.250°E / 33.450; 36.250
Country	Syria
Governorate	Rif Dimashq Governorate
District	Darayya District
Nahiyah	Darayya
Elevation	689 m (2,260 ft)
Population (2004 census)
• Total	78,763
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)

Darayya (Arabic: داريا‎) is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq. Darayya has an altitude of 689 meters. It has a population of 75,134 as of 2004, making it the 19th largest city per geographical entity in Syria. It is sometimes regarded as a suburb of Damascus.^[1] Patriarch Gregory III Laham, the spiritual leader of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church was born here in 15 December 1933 as Lutfy Laham.

Syrian civil war [edit]

During the civil war the city was captured by militants from the group Jabhat al-Nusra. It was captured twice by the Syrian army forces: in the end of August 2012^[2] and on 4 January 2013,^[3] but in April 2013, fighting continued in the city.^[4] Between 20th and 25th August 2012 there happened the Darayya massacre, in which 400-500 people were killed. Responsibility for the massacre remains uncertain.

As of May 2013 there was a Russian TV crew based in Darayya. The war correspondents were from ANNA - Abkhazian Network News Agency, collaborated with the Syrian army and provided live footage of their fight against the rebels.^[5] Sergey Berezhnoy, a Russian judge and a voluntary reporter for ANNA News, was wounded there by an anti-government sniper in January 2013.^[6][7]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Daraya, Rif Dimashq Video of bombardment of Darayya during the Syrian civil war - YouTube.

v t e Rif Dimashq Governorate   Markaz Rif Dimashq Al-Kiswah • al-Adiliyah • Aqraba • Arbin • Ayn Tirma • Babbila • al-Bahdaliyah • Beit Sahem • Beit Sawa • al-Buwaydah • Deir Ali • Deir al-Asafir • Deir Khabiyah • Hammurah • al-Harjalah • Hawsh Sahiya • Hizzah • Hujayrah • Hutaytet al-Turkman • Jaramana • Jisrin • Jubb al-Safa • Kafr Batna • Khan Dannun • Khirbet al-Ward • Khiyarat Dannun • al-Malihah • Muqaylibah • al-Sabinah • Saqba • Sayyidah Zaynab • Shabaa • al-Taybah • Yalda • Zabdin • Zakiyah • Zamalka   Douma District Douma • al-Abadah • Adra • al-Ahmadiyah • Dahiyat al-Assad • al-Atibah • Batihat al-Wafidin • Beit Nayim • al-Bihariyah • al-Bitariyah • al-Bilaliyah • al-Damen • Deir Salman • al-Dumayr • Ghasulah • al-Ghizlaniyah • Harasta • Harasta al-Qantarah • Harran al-Awamid • Hawsh al-Dawahira • Hawsh al-Farah • Hawsh Nasri • al-Hayjanah • Hufayr al-Tahta • al-Jarba • Judaydat al-Khas • al-Kafrin • Madira • Marj al-Sultan • Mesraba • Midaa • al-Nashabiyah • al-Qasimiyah • al-Qisa • Outaya • al-Rihan • al-Sabe' Biyar • Sakka • Saraba • al-Shafuniyah   Al-Qutayfah District Al-Qutayfah • Ayn al-Tineh • Hillah • Jubb Adin • Jayrud • Ma'loula • Muadamiyat al-Qalamun • al-Nasiriyah • al-Ruhaybah • al-Tawani   Al-Tall District Al-Tall • Badda • Hafir al-Fawqa • Halbun • Hawsh Arab • Maaraba • Maarat Saidnaya • Manin • Rankus • Saidnaya • Talfita   Yabrud District Yabrud • Assal al-Ward • al-Jibbah • Ras al-Ayn • Ras al-Maarah   Al-Nabk District Al-Nabk • Deir Atiyah • al-Jarajir • Mushrifat Falitah • Qaldun al-Marah • Qarah • al-Qastal • al-Sehl   Al-Zabadani District Al-Zabadani • Biqqin • Bloudan • Hurayrah • Madaya • al-Rawdah • Sirghaya • Suq Wadi Barada   Qatana District Qatana • Arna • Artuz • Baqaasam • Baytima • Beit Jinn • Beit Saber • Darwashah • Deir Maker • Harfaa • Judaydat Artuz • Kafr Hour • Kanakir • Khan al-Shih • Qalaat al-Jandal • Rakhleh • Saasaa • al-Sabburah • Yaafur   Darayya District Darayya • Ashrafiyat Sahnaya • al-Hajar al-Aswad • Muadamiyat al-Sham • Sahnaya   Qudsaya District Qudsaya • Ashrafiyat al-Wadi • Ayn al-Fijah • Basimah • Deir Muqrin • Deir Qanun • al-Dimas • Efra • al-Hamah • Jamraya • Judaydat al-Wadi • Judaydat Yabus • Kufayr Yabus • Kufayr al-Zayt • Dahiyat Qudsaya

Coordinates: 33°27′N 36°15′E / 33.450°N 36.250°E / 33.450; 36.250