Talbiseh

Talbiseh تلبيسة Talbisa
Village
Talbiseh (background) and sheep grazing (foreground), 1930s
Talbiseh Location in Syria
Coordinates: 34°50′0″N 36°44′0″E / 34.83333°N 36.73333°E / 34.83333; 36.73333
Country	Syria
Governorate	Homs
District	Al-Rastan
Subdistrict	Talbiseh
Elevation	455 m (1,493 ft)
Population (2004)
• Total	30,796
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	+3 (UTC)

Talbiseh (Arabic: تلبيسة‎‎, also spelled Talbisa, Tell Bisa, Talbeesa) is a large town in northwestern Syria administratively part of the Homs Governorate, about 10 kilometers north of Homs. Nearby localities include al-Rastan to the north, al-Ghantoo to the southwest and al-Mashrafah to the east. The old town of Talbiseh is situated on an isolated hill.^[1] According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Talbiseh had a population of 30,796 in 2004.^[2] Its inhabitants are mostly Sunni Muslims with significant Arab and Turkmen ethnic groups.^[3]

History

Talbiseh is built atop an ancient tell ("artificial mound").^[4] In 1945 a large hoard of Byzantine Empire-era copper coins were discovered in Talbiseh.^[5] The roughly 835 coins, which dated back to 631 CE, consisted of three specimens depicting the emperors Justin II, Phocas and Heraclius Constantine.^[6]

Ottoman era

During the Ottoman era, particularly throughout the 18th-century, Talbiseh served as one of the principal rural fortress towns in northern Syria and it was located along what was known as the "Sultanic Road" which led to Istanbul, the seat of the empire. Its importance had grown as a result of the decline of Maarrat al-Nu'man and Hisyah.^[7] The Jundi family had normally provided the aghawat (governors) of the fortress, and would later provide three of Hama's governors around the year 1800.^[8] During a revolt by the Mawali tribes of northern Syria, the governor of Talbiseh's fortress, Abd al-Razzaq al-Jundi, was executed by the tribesmen.^[9]

Talbiseh was described as a village of mud houses in the mid-19th century. Unlike most Syrian villages at the time whose houses had flat roofs, the mud houses in Talbiseh had dome-shaped roofs.^[10] According to traveler Albert Socin, in the early 20th-century, Talbiseh's houses had a cubical base, conical roofs and no windows. The roofs were constructed of overlapping internal layers of stone.^[1]

Syrian civil war

Talbiseh witnessed large demonstrations protesting against the government of Bashar al-Assad in April 2011 as part of the 2011–2012 Syrian Uprising.^[11] Since the beginning of the insurrection, the city has become a stronghold for the opposition and the anti-government Free Syrian Army (FSA).^[12] As such, Talbiseh has been targeted by the Syrian Army and security forces throughout the uprising. Between 29 May and early June 2011 Syrian troops backed by tanks entered and besieged the city with the stated aim of rooting out "terrorist groups." Opposition activists claimed troops were raiding houses and arresting suspected dissidents. Five residents and four soldiers were reportedly killed in the first day of the operation.^[13]

On 8 June 2012, three civilians and nine Syrian troops were killed in fighting in the Talbiseh area.^[14] Heavy fighting between the Syrian Army and the FSA continued until at least 11 June. According to United Nations observers, the FSA took a number of government soldiers captive.^[15] The Syrian Army attempted to retake Talbiseh on 21 July, sparking heavy clashes in the city and subsequent artillery bombardment.^[16]

On 25 September 2012, France 24 reported that Talbiseh was under siege from all directions by the army. On 24 December 2012, the Talbiseh bakery massacre took place. More than 14 people were killed while queuing for bread at a local bakery, when they were bombed from warplanes of the Syrian government.^[17][18] On 24 March 2014, it was reported that the main obstacle preventing the rebels from breaking the siege of Homs city was the Malouk army complex, just south of Talbiseh. The Malouk complex is composed of many checkpoints, spanning 15 square km. It contains 60 tanks and tens of other military vehicles, in addition to 1200 soldiers.^[19] On 24 February 2015, an infant was killed while regime forces shell with mortars over the city from the Engineering battalion in Al-Mesherfe village.^[20]

References

معام وأعلام من تلبيسة - عبد اللطيف السعيد وأحمد امين الضحيك21 -

Bibliography

Homs Governorate
Homs District Homs Subdistrict Homs Abil Abu Dali Ashrafiyah al-Dar al-Kabirah Fahilah Fairouzeh Hubub al-Rih Halmuz al-Hurriyah Jawalik Jawbar Judaydat al-Assi Judaydat al-Sharqiyah Kafr Abed Kafr Aya Maskanah al-Mubarakiyah al-Mukhtariyah al-Najmah al-Naqirah Qattinah al-Rayyan al-Riyadh Sakrah Teir Maalah Tell Ahmar Tell al-Naqa Tell al-Shur Tell Zubaydah al-Thabitiyah Zaidal Zhuriyah Ayn al-Niser Subdistrict Ayn al-Niser Ayn al-Dananir Ayn Husayn Gharbi Ayn Husayn Shamali Baddu Burzah Humaydiyah al-Jabiriyah al-Mushrifah Talamri Waridah Furqlus Subdistrict Furqlus Fatim al-Arnouk al-Hazzah Hulayah Jabab Hamad Jubb al-Shami al-Nasriyah al-Sabuniyah al-Sayyid Hisyah Subdistrict Hisyah Bureij Dibeh Jandar al-Kashaf al-Ma'murah Shamsin Khirbet Tin Nur Subdistrict Khirbet Tin Nur Aysun Balqasah Bataysah al-Dahiyah al-Umaliyah al-Faysiyah Ghuzaylah Khirbet Ghazi Khirbet al-Hamam Khirbet Hayek Khirbet al-Sawda Khirbet Tin Mahmoud Kunaysah Liftaya Marj Bulad Marj al-Qata Mashahdah (Khirbet Sawda) al-Mazraa Nur Nuwayha Qazhal Qebbi al-Rabwah Ram al-Anz Ram Jabal Sannun Shalluh Tarin Tannunah Umm al-'Adam Umm al-Qasab Umm Haratayn Wujuh al-Hajar al-Zurzuriyah Zayti al-Bahra Zawr Baqraya Mahin Subdistrict Mahin al-Ghunthir Huwwarin Qabu Subdistrict Al-Qabu Autan Fahil al-Qanaqiyah Rabah Sharqliyya al-Shinyah Qaryatayn Subdistrict Al-Qaryatayn Tiyas Riqama Subdistrict Al-Riqama Alyat Awar al-Aziziyah Dardaghan al-Hamrat Jabab al-Zayt al-Madaba al-Manzul al-Nuzhah al-Rawdah Shayrat Sadad Subdistrict Sadad al-Hafar Shin Subdistrict Shin Bahhur al-Diyabiyah Hadiyah Hasur al-Jabbat Jablaya Juwaykat al-Mahfurah Muranah Muta'arid Sufr Suwayri Uyun al-Wadi Zaafarinah Gharbi Taldou Subdistrict Taldou Karad Dayasinah Arqaya Burj Qa'i Ghawr Gharbiyah Hadatha Harqal al-Hashmah Haysah al-Humaymah Jurnaya Kafr Laha Kafr Ram Mahnaya Mujaydil Rafin Samalil Sinsil Tell Dahab al-Taybah al-Gharbiyah Zaybaq
Mukharram District Mukharram Subdistrict Al-Mukharram al-Fawqani Abu Hakfah al-Janubi Abu Hakfah al-Shamali Abu Khashabah Bab al-Hawa al-Batamah Buwaydat Rihaniyah Buwaydat Salamiyah al-Haraki Jubb Abbas al-Junaynat Khilfah al-Mukharram al-Tahtani Nawa al-Sankari Shawkatliyah Tell al-Ghar Tell Shinan Tell al-Ward Umm al-Amad Umm Jabab Umm al-Sarj al-Qibli Umm al-Sarj al-Shamali Umm Tuwaynah al-Uthmaniyah Jubb al-Jarrah Subdistrict Jubb al-Jarrah Abu Qatur Aliyat al-Alyan Duwayr al-Gharbiyah Duwayr al-Sharqiyah Ghuzayliyah Maksar al-Hisan Masaadah Masudiyah Mughayzil Muntar al-Abal Mushayrifah al-Qibliyah Rasm Humaydah Shiha Taladi Talaqtah Tarfawi Tawil Umm al-Rif (al-Rish) Umm Tuwaynah al-Shamali Usmud
Qusayr District Qusayr Subdistrict Al-Qusayr Abu Juri al-Aqrabiyah Arjoun Akkum Baluzah Burhaniyah al-Buwaydah al-Sharqiyah al-Dabaah Dahiyat al-Majd Daminah al-Sharqiyah Daminah al-Gharbiyah Dibbin Diyabiyah al-Fadeliyah al-Ghassaniyah al-Hamam al-Hawik Hawsh Murshid Sama'an Hawsh al-Sayyid Ali al-Houz Husseiniya Jubaniyah Jusiyah al-Amar Kafr Mousa al-Masriyah Mudan al-Nahariyah al-Naim al-Nizariyah al-Qurniyah Rablah al-Sakher al-Sallumiyah Samaqiyat al-Gharbiyah Samaqiyat al-Sharqiyah Saqrajah al-Sawadiyah al-Shayahat al-Shumariyah Shinshar Tell al-Nabi Mando Wadi Hanna Zira'a Zita al-Gharbiyah
Rastan District Rastan Subdistrict Al-Rastan Abu Hamamah Asiliyah Ballan Dalfin al-Ghasibiyah Gharnatah Izz al-Din Hameis Kafr Nan Kissin al-Manara Murayj al-Durr al-Qunaytrat Sulaym Tasnin al-Waza'iyah Zamaymer Talbiseh Subdistrict Talbiseh Deir Ful al-Farhaniyah al-Ghantu al-Hashimiyah al-Makramiyah al-Qanniyah Saan al-Aswad al-Sabil Tell Jayurin al-Thawrah Umm Sharshuh al-Zaafaraniyah
Tadmur District Tadmur Subdistrict Tadmur Arak al-Bayda al-Bi'arat Rasm al-Abid Sukhnah Subdistrict Al-Sukhnah Karim al-Kawm al-Kadir al-Taybah al-Tuwaynat
Talkalakh District Talkalakh Subdistrict Talkalakh Akkari al-Amariyah Aridah Ayn al-Sawda Ayn al-Tineh al-Gharbiyah al-Bahluniyah Baruha Bayt Qarin Burj al-Arab Burj al-Maksur Hajar Abyad Halat Hasrajiyah Jaafariyat Kafrish Khirbet al-Jabab Maarabu Masyadah Naarah Qanuta Qurayyat Qumayrah al-Shabaq al-Shabruniyah Shalluh Shamsiyah Sindiyana Samikah Tell Hawsh Tell Sarrin al-Zarah Zanbiyah Hadidah Subdistrict Hadidah Ayn al-Tineh al-Sharqiyah Barudiyah Bayun Baznaya Dardariyah Haratayn al-Malikiyah al-Mashrafah al-Sharqiyah Khansaa Khirbet al-Manqalah Lawaybdah Marasiyah Na'isiyah Na'urah Qaz al-Khass Rihaniyah Tell al-Safa Umm al-Dawali Umm Jamah Hawash Subdistrict Al-Hawash Anaz Ayn al-Gharah Ballat Basumaah Bisas al-Husn Ish al-Shuhah Inata Jawuniyat Mazinah Muqlus Qal al-Saqa al-Shuwayhid Tallih Nasirah Subdistrict Al-Nasirah Amar al-Husn Ayn al-Bardah Bahzinah Baydar Rafiah Daghlah Habnamrah Jankamrah Jiwar al-Afas Kafra Kimah Marmarita Mashta Azar al-Mishtaya Qalatiyah Qurb Ali Tannurin Zweitina