In mid August 2013, this documentary was finally aired. Ghassan and I decided after nothing being said of the events in any media and merely news coming in frantic letters from Lattakian friends, that we would describe it in English. Translating it word for word was not an option so whilst some parts are word for word translations other parts are mere descriptions/interpretations of the one hour long documentary.
Ogarite Dandache's documentary is about the massacres, kidnappings and destruction in the Lattakia countryside in the first week of August this year. I have pasted here the description and the link for the documentary as well as the list of names of victims and kidnapped that was collected in the very early days. No doubt this list is more detailed now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUBOAHQvj2Y
Ogarite Dandache of Mayadeen TV produced a special report on the massacres, kidnappings and attacks in the Lattakia area in the first week of August 2013.
The documentary is in Arabic. The following is an interpretation of what the documentary was about.
____________________________
The first part of the documentary interviews survivors. One child describes how she hid for three days without food or water. Fifteen people from her village, including relatives were killed. One of the children was recognised in a hospital in Turkey and was brought back to Syria. A doctor speaks about the child’s case. He says the girl has had surgery but as shrapnel is still inside her body he is unable to ascertain what her operation was for. There have been reports of kidnappings with the victims being taken to Turkey for organ harvesting. The little girl says all she remembers was being taken to Turkey with her mother.
Another little girl was hiding in the forest for eleven days without food or water until rescued by the army. Her Aunty is with her in the hospital and said the child has hardly spoken but described that the terrorists came from all directions and took many hostages who till today are still missing. The Aunty described her niece as so traumatized that she barely speaks at all and appears scared of everyone including her family. The child recollected walking with her father and brothers when suddenly they came under attack. She was unsure whether her father was hit by gunfire but she hid in the forest. The Aunty ponders how this child will react when she comes out of shock and realises that 50 members of her family have been killed. The final toll of victims is still unknown.
A boy speaks of being outside when he and his family were shot at by machine gunfire. His father was hit and his male cousin was taken hostage. The boy hid in his cousin’s house with his grandmother and other relatives and things got worse as the house was shelled and his brother was hit in the back and died.
An elderly woman shares her harrowing experience. She came from a small hamlet comprised of three houses. Realising that the terrorists were closing in from all directions she said to her husband that they were coming to kill them. Her husband said they would have to kill him first before anything happened to the family. He was killed. The elderly woman felt great fear for the girls in the family. They managed to hide but the shelling was so bad and the terrorists kidnapped members of the family.
Ogarite showed a map of the areas where the attacks happened. She stated that the terrorists had been in the area for some time and that it wasn’t the first time there had been attacks. She revealed that these attacks were made possible due to some traitors inside the Syrian Arab Army who had defected and given inside information. She explained that the terrain and conditions were not easy for the terrorists to hold and they either retreated or were killed after a short period.
The terrorists aim was to strike a psychological blow to the President and the nation by hitting the village of the birthplace of the Assads. The terrorists had become desperate for some gains due to their failures throughout the country and their failed goal of declaring on Eid an Islamic Emirate in Aleppo. Another objective was to inflame sectarian tensions in Lattakia but that aslo failed. They wanted to lure other militants into the area to support them and to ease pressure off their colleagues in Aleppo by creating a side battle.
In a village called Nabi Younis, the terrorists were faced by strong resistance and were unable to take over. The village is on a hill top in a strategic area. The reporter interviewed the Army commander in charge of defending this town. He explained that it is a key point between the coast and Hama as well as between Idlib and Aleppo and control of this area blocks the terrorists from advancing on other fronts. The commander said their fight was one to defend the country, one of principles and this ground had to be held as imperative.
At the time of this documentary being filmed there were areas where the battles were still going on. Another strategic hill top was under heavy fire and sniper fire. From this point onwards soldiers had to clear the area with artillery and then proceed with hand to hand combat. The journalist had to stop for some time shielding herself from gunfire.
All these areas at the time of the documentary being filmed were close to being secured by the Army.
Ogarite Dandache continued throughout various locations with the Army coming across many abandoned weapons and devices. In one place there were packages of charges and explosives left behind, most likely to be used to block the road leaving it impassable. Packages of foodstuffs and water were found, water and food packages made in Turkey, dates from Qatar amongst other items.
The soldiers came across and ancient cave church called Tallet Al Khodr . It is a shrine to an Islamic saint with pictures of Mother Mary adorning it.
The Army and journalist entered the area near Balouta, a village in the hands of the terrorists. They prepare to take the village back under control. Entering the village they see deceased villagers and a donkey runs around hysterically. Missiles being launched are seen close by. Soldiers take positions throughout the olive groves.
In the village plastic chairs strategically placed in sunny spots sit empty and forlorne. The once idyllic and picturesque village is all smashed up. More foodstuffs are found. The packaging is written in Turkish. Throughout the village homes are completely smashed, photographs of the inhabitants lie everywhere on the ground, photos of children, weddings and happy moments.
Various banners and scrawled messages are around indicating which gangs of terrorists were in this village. Battles went on for two weeks in this village. Some of the names of the gangs were displayed; “Jabhat al Nusra”, “Dawat al Islam”, “Katibet Soukour al-Iz”, “The Islamic State of Iraq and Sham” and “Haraqat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyyah”.
The land is back in the hands of the people but the people are not there. Many have been killed, many taken hostage and many will return to see their homes in ruins.
_____________________________
Names of the victims of the massacres which wiped out entire families, committed by #Al_Nusra_Front backed by hundreds of terrorists from (#Baghdad_and_Al_Sham_Islamic_State_Army ) terrorist group against the civillians in 8 villages in the countryside north-eastern city of#Latakia and #Slenfeh.This happened at the dawn of Sunday 4/8/2013 :
Victims names in village "#Nabata":1 - Hafez Mehrez Shehadeh, 80 years old.2 - Kamal Mohammed Shehadeh and his wife and their three children:- Rend a 11-year-old girl.- Nasr 9 years.- Mohammed 7 years.7 - Jafar alSheikh .... a child of 4 years,he was scared so he asked for water to drink ..., a bearded man stabbed him to death.8 - Yassin Najdat Shehadeh.9 - Jaudat Shehadeh.10 - Emad El Sheikh.11 - Tamadur Salim Shehadeh,17 years old.12 -Khitam Adeeb Shehadeh.13 - Ibrahim AlSheikh.
Names of kidnapped people from village "#Nabata":1 - Hajja Sheikh Ibrahim (Hafiz Shehadeh's wife).2- Fahima Mohamed Osman.3- Ramza al Sheikh and (4)her daughter Tayma.5- Child: Amer Ghassan Yahya6- Ahmed Shehadeh and (7) his wife Shaza Hattab and (8) their little baby :9 months old.9- Ali Hattab10- Kazem Mehrez Shehadeh and (11) his wife Dyaa Sweid and their three children:(12)Ola - (13)Haider - (14) Zain: one year old.15- Mona Fatima (Kidnapped After they slaughtered her husband)17- Samara alSheikh.18- Lotus alSheikh.19- Marah alSheikh.20- Anaam alSheikh, 13 years old.21- Bashar al-Sheikh,11 years old.22- Ahmed Alhiekh.23- Aktham AlSheikh.
Victims names in village "#Alhmbushiah" mostly children:1- Hani Shakouhi.2- Hamza Maryam.3-Tahir Maryam.4- Munther Darwish .5- Hala: Munther Darwish' wife, she was pregnant, the terrorists cut her stomach after killing her and grabbed the baby out and threw him away.6- Ayman Maryam (a little boy).7- Lina Qadera (a little girl).8- Ahmad Maryam (a little boy).9- Refaat Maryam.10-Dalaa Maryam (a little girl).11-Marah Maryam (a little girl).12-Farah Maryam (a little girl).13- Mohammad Maryam (a little boy).14- Jaafar Ismail (a little boy).15- Wesal Tamer.16- Taim Shakouhi (one year old boy).17- Tamer Shakouhi (3 years old boy).18- Lamia Shehadeh and all of her children.19- Intesar Maryam.20- Asrar Maryam.21- Narjes Maryam.22- Wahieb Maryam.23- Nazier Arifu.24- Adel Maryam.25- Wael Maryam.
Names of kidnapped people from village "#Alhmbushiah" by Al-Nusra Front:1- Fadel Shakouhi.2- Wazifa Shakouhi.3- Kenanah Shakouhi.4- Afief Shakouhi.5- Moustafa Shakouhi.6- Faten Maryam.7- Wedad Maryam.8- Elien Maryam.9- Doaa Maryam.
Victims names in village "#AlBalouta" ,Where entire families were wiped out :1- Azab Salim.2-Taim Salim (1 year old).3- Sameir Salim.4- Haider Salim.5- Wafik Ibrahim and his 3 children:6- Shadi Ibrahim.7- Meqdad Ibrahim.8- Ghaidaq Ibrahim.9- Nihad Deip.10- Fawzia Deip.11- Ghadir Deip.12- Amjad Deip.13- Ziena Deip14- Ziad Deip (1 year old).15- Hussein Ibrahim.16- Mariam Ibrahim.17- Zahra Ibrahim.18- Ismail Ibrahim.
Names of the kidnapped people from this village are not known yet.
Victims names in village "#Bermseh"1- Solaiman Fatima and (2) his wife Samira Ghanem.3- Mohamed Fatima and (4)his wife Fekriah Yassin.5- Nadi Fatima, and (6) his wife and (7) (8) their two sons.9- Basem Fatima and (10) his wife and (11)(12)(13) their 3 children.
Names of the kidnapped people from this village are not known yet.
Victims names in village of "#Abu_Mecki":1- Asaad Solaiman Qadra.2- Mohamed Kamel Qadra.3- Faeqa Haidar, a school teacher.
I could not document more information about the fate of this village.
Village "#Aubin" was burned by the terrorists and we don't know anything about the civilians fate there, yet.
Village "#Esterbeh" close to #Salma. the civilians escaped but the terrorists occupied the village.
These information are documented but it's not the final and complete report
**Prior to establishing this blog, our work on this was posted on Facebook where it was shared widely and unfortunately in at least one instance presented as if it is to work of others. Here is a record of it here being shared with a link to the original, a link which no longer works as FB deleted my "Intibah Wakeup" account.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/tim-anderson/the-lattakia-massacres-august-2013/10151658224806234
*Note. Working with my husband on translating/describing this documentary was a very distressing effort as he has witnessed massacres and other traumas from the Lebanese Civil War and earlier conflicts. Our most modest work was published on https://australiansforreconciliationinsyria.org/massacre-in-lattakia-august-2013/ and from there it was shared on many other sites. Whilst published on that site and not attributed to us despite a request to do so we trust eventually it will be acknowledged when the Webmaster gets to it.
News of this terrible event published also in:
https://syrianperspective.com/2017/02/syrian-army-liberates-more-towns-and-villages-in-aleppo-hostages-freed-in-latakia-syrian-army-crushes-attack-by-alqaeda-in-latakia.html
Ogarite Dandache's documentary is about the massacres, kidnappings and destruction in the Lattakia countryside in the first week of August this year. I have pasted here the description and the link for the documentary as well as the list of names of victims and kidnapped that was collected in the very early days. No doubt this list is more detailed now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUBOAHQvj2Y
Ogarite Dandache of Mayadeen TV produced a special report on the massacres, kidnappings and attacks in the Lattakia area in the first week of August 2013.
The documentary is in Arabic. The following is an interpretation of what the documentary was about.
____________________________
The first part of the documentary interviews survivors. One child describes how she hid for three days without food or water. Fifteen people from her village, including relatives were killed. One of the children was recognised in a hospital in Turkey and was brought back to Syria. A doctor speaks about the child’s case. He says the girl has had surgery but as shrapnel is still inside her body he is unable to ascertain what her operation was for. There have been reports of kidnappings with the victims being taken to Turkey for organ harvesting. The little girl says all she remembers was being taken to Turkey with her mother.
Another little girl was hiding in the forest for eleven days without food or water until rescued by the army. Her Aunty is with her in the hospital and said the child has hardly spoken but described that the terrorists came from all directions and took many hostages who till today are still missing. The Aunty described her niece as so traumatized that she barely speaks at all and appears scared of everyone including her family. The child recollected walking with her father and brothers when suddenly they came under attack. She was unsure whether her father was hit by gunfire but she hid in the forest. The Aunty ponders how this child will react when she comes out of shock and realises that 50 members of her family have been killed. The final toll of victims is still unknown.
A boy speaks of being outside when he and his family were shot at by machine gunfire. His father was hit and his male cousin was taken hostage. The boy hid in his cousin’s house with his grandmother and other relatives and things got worse as the house was shelled and his brother was hit in the back and died.
An elderly woman shares her harrowing experience. She came from a small hamlet comprised of three houses. Realising that the terrorists were closing in from all directions she said to her husband that they were coming to kill them. Her husband said they would have to kill him first before anything happened to the family. He was killed. The elderly woman felt great fear for the girls in the family. They managed to hide but the shelling was so bad and the terrorists kidnapped members of the family.
Ogarite showed a map of the areas where the attacks happened. She stated that the terrorists had been in the area for some time and that it wasn’t the first time there had been attacks. She revealed that these attacks were made possible due to some traitors inside the Syrian Arab Army who had defected and given inside information. She explained that the terrain and conditions were not easy for the terrorists to hold and they either retreated or were killed after a short period.
The terrorists aim was to strike a psychological blow to the President and the nation by hitting the village of the birthplace of the Assads. The terrorists had become desperate for some gains due to their failures throughout the country and their failed goal of declaring on Eid an Islamic Emirate in Aleppo. Another objective was to inflame sectarian tensions in Lattakia but that aslo failed. They wanted to lure other militants into the area to support them and to ease pressure off their colleagues in Aleppo by creating a side battle.
In a village called Nabi Younis, the terrorists were faced by strong resistance and were unable to take over. The village is on a hill top in a strategic area. The reporter interviewed the Army commander in charge of defending this town. He explained that it is a key point between the coast and Hama as well as between Idlib and Aleppo and control of this area blocks the terrorists from advancing on other fronts. The commander said their fight was one to defend the country, one of principles and this ground had to be held as imperative.
At the time of this documentary being filmed there were areas where the battles were still going on. Another strategic hill top was under heavy fire and sniper fire. From this point onwards soldiers had to clear the area with artillery and then proceed with hand to hand combat. The journalist had to stop for some time shielding herself from gunfire.
All these areas at the time of the documentary being filmed were close to being secured by the Army.
Ogarite Dandache continued throughout various locations with the Army coming across many abandoned weapons and devices. In one place there were packages of charges and explosives left behind, most likely to be used to block the road leaving it impassable. Packages of foodstuffs and water were found, water and food packages made in Turkey, dates from Qatar amongst other items.
The soldiers came across and ancient cave church called Tallet Al Khodr . It is a shrine to an Islamic saint with pictures of Mother Mary adorning it.
The Army and journalist entered the area near Balouta, a village in the hands of the terrorists. They prepare to take the village back under control. Entering the village they see deceased villagers and a donkey runs around hysterically. Missiles being launched are seen close by. Soldiers take positions throughout the olive groves.
In the village plastic chairs strategically placed in sunny spots sit empty and forlorne. The once idyllic and picturesque village is all smashed up. More foodstuffs are found. The packaging is written in Turkish. Throughout the village homes are completely smashed, photographs of the inhabitants lie everywhere on the ground, photos of children, weddings and happy moments.
Various banners and scrawled messages are around indicating which gangs of terrorists were in this village. Battles went on for two weeks in this village. Some of the names of the gangs were displayed; “Jabhat al Nusra”, “Dawat al Islam”, “Katibet Soukour al-Iz”, “The Islamic State of Iraq and Sham” and “Haraqat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyyah”.
The land is back in the hands of the people but the people are not there. Many have been killed, many taken hostage and many will return to see their homes in ruins.
_____________________________
Names of the victims of the massacres which wiped out entire families, committed by #Al_Nusra_Front backed by hundreds of terrorists from (#Baghdad_and_Al_Sham_Islamic_State_Army ) terrorist group against the civillians in 8 villages in the countryside north-eastern city of#Latakia and #Slenfeh.This happened at the dawn of Sunday 4/8/2013 :
Victims names in village "#Nabata":1 - Hafez Mehrez Shehadeh, 80 years old.2 - Kamal Mohammed Shehadeh and his wife and their three children:- Rend a 11-year-old girl.- Nasr 9 years.- Mohammed 7 years.7 - Jafar alSheikh .... a child of 4 years,he was scared so he asked for water to drink ..., a bearded man stabbed him to death.8 - Yassin Najdat Shehadeh.9 - Jaudat Shehadeh.10 - Emad El Sheikh.11 - Tamadur Salim Shehadeh,17 years old.12 -Khitam Adeeb Shehadeh.13 - Ibrahim AlSheikh.
Names of kidnapped people from village "#Nabata":1 - Hajja Sheikh Ibrahim (Hafiz Shehadeh's wife).2- Fahima Mohamed Osman.3- Ramza al Sheikh and (4)her daughter Tayma.5- Child: Amer Ghassan Yahya6- Ahmed Shehadeh and (7) his wife Shaza Hattab and (8) their little baby :9 months old.9- Ali Hattab10- Kazem Mehrez Shehadeh and (11) his wife Dyaa Sweid and their three children:(12)Ola - (13)Haider - (14) Zain: one year old.15- Mona Fatima (Kidnapped After they slaughtered her husband)17- Samara alSheikh.18- Lotus alSheikh.19- Marah alSheikh.20- Anaam alSheikh, 13 years old.21- Bashar al-Sheikh,11 years old.22- Ahmed Alhiekh.23- Aktham AlSheikh.
Victims names in village "#Alhmbushiah" mostly children:1- Hani Shakouhi.2- Hamza Maryam.3-Tahir Maryam.4- Munther Darwish .5- Hala: Munther Darwish' wife, she was pregnant, the terrorists cut her stomach after killing her and grabbed the baby out and threw him away.6- Ayman Maryam (a little boy).7- Lina Qadera (a little girl).8- Ahmad Maryam (a little boy).9- Refaat Maryam.10-Dalaa Maryam (a little girl).11-Marah Maryam (a little girl).12-Farah Maryam (a little girl).13- Mohammad Maryam (a little boy).14- Jaafar Ismail (a little boy).15- Wesal Tamer.16- Taim Shakouhi (one year old boy).17- Tamer Shakouhi (3 years old boy).18- Lamia Shehadeh and all of her children.19- Intesar Maryam.20- Asrar Maryam.21- Narjes Maryam.22- Wahieb Maryam.23- Nazier Arifu.24- Adel Maryam.25- Wael Maryam.
Names of kidnapped people from village "#Alhmbushiah" by Al-Nusra Front:1- Fadel Shakouhi.2- Wazifa Shakouhi.3- Kenanah Shakouhi.4- Afief Shakouhi.5- Moustafa Shakouhi.6- Faten Maryam.7- Wedad Maryam.8- Elien Maryam.9- Doaa Maryam.
Victims names in village "#AlBalouta" ,Where entire families were wiped out :1- Azab Salim.2-Taim Salim (1 year old).3- Sameir Salim.4- Haider Salim.5- Wafik Ibrahim and his 3 children:6- Shadi Ibrahim.7- Meqdad Ibrahim.8- Ghaidaq Ibrahim.9- Nihad Deip.10- Fawzia Deip.11- Ghadir Deip.12- Amjad Deip.13- Ziena Deip14- Ziad Deip (1 year old).15- Hussein Ibrahim.16- Mariam Ibrahim.17- Zahra Ibrahim.18- Ismail Ibrahim.
Names of the kidnapped people from this village are not known yet.
Victims names in village "#Bermseh"1- Solaiman Fatima and (2) his wife Samira Ghanem.3- Mohamed Fatima and (4)his wife Fekriah Yassin.5- Nadi Fatima, and (6) his wife and (7) (8) their two sons.9- Basem Fatima and (10) his wife and (11)(12)(13) their 3 children.
Names of the kidnapped people from this village are not known yet.
Victims names in village of "#Abu_Mecki":1- Asaad Solaiman Qadra.2- Mohamed Kamel Qadra.3- Faeqa Haidar, a school teacher.
I could not document more information about the fate of this village.
Village "#Aubin" was burned by the terrorists and we don't know anything about the civilians fate there, yet.
Village "#Esterbeh" close to #Salma. the civilians escaped but the terrorists occupied the village.
These information are documented but it's not the final and complete report
**Prior to establishing this blog, our work on this was posted on Facebook where it was shared widely and unfortunately in at least one instance presented as if it is to work of others. Here is a record of it here being shared with a link to the original, a link which no longer works as FB deleted my "Intibah Wakeup" account.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/tim-anderson/the-lattakia-massacres-august-2013/10151658224806234
*Note. Working with my husband on translating/describing this documentary was a very distressing effort as he has witnessed massacres and other traumas from the Lebanese Civil War and earlier conflicts. Our most modest work was published on https://australiansforreconciliationinsyria.org/massacre-in-lattakia-august-2013/ and from there it was shared on many other sites. Whilst published on that site and not attributed to us despite a request to do so we trust eventually it will be acknowledged when the Webmaster gets to it.
News of this terrible event published also in:
https://syrianperspective.com/2017/02/syrian-army-liberates-more-towns-and-villages-in-aleppo-hostages-freed-in-latakia-syrian-army-crushes-attack-by-alqaeda-in-latakia.html
Thanks for recounting this terrible history. I have shared it to my Facebook page - I did make some small changes to these two sentences: "The terrorists had become desperate for some gains due to their failures throughout the country and their failed goal of declaring an Islamic Emirate in Aleppo on Eid al-Adha (the latter of two official Islamic holidays). Another objective was to inflame sectarian tensions in Lattakia but that also failed."
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