Kafr Sousa Explained

Kafar Souseh
Native Name:كَفْر سُوسَة
Native Name Lang:ar
Settlement Type:Municipality
Pushpin Map:Syria Damascus#Syria
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Damascus
Coordinates:33.4983°N 36.2772°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Governorate
Subdivision Name1:Damascus Governorate
Subdivision Type2:City
Subdivision Name2:Damascus
Unit Pref:Metric
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:EET
Utc Offset:+2
Timezone Dst:EEST
Utc Offset Dst:+3
Blank Name:Climate
Blank Info:BSk

Kafar Souseh (Arabic: كَفْر سُوسَة|Kafr Sūsah) is a municipality and neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, located in the southwestern part of the capital.[1] [2] It is home to the Syrian Council of Ministers and the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[2]

History

The neighborhood was historically an agricultural suburb of Old Damascus. The word "Kafar" (Classical Syriac: ܟܦܪ) means 'farm', and "Souseh" is derived from (Classical Syriac: ܣܘܣܝܐ|Sūsyā) which means 'horse', hence, the name collectively means 'Horse farm'.

Today it is one of the most affluent and modern neighborhoods in the city. It includes various styles of villas, apartment buildings, and condominiums. The neighborhood still has some farms and an old farmers market, as well as two shopping malls and several government/official buildings including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is also in proximity to the original neighborhoods of Old Damascus.

Senior Hezbollah figure Imad Mughniyah was assassinated in the neighborhood in 2008.[3]

The neighborhood participated in the 2011 protests of the Syrian uprising. In 2011, two co-ordinated bombings killed 44 and injured 166 residents.[4]

A park in honor of North Korean leader Kim Il Sung opened in 2015.[5]

In February 2023, an Israeli missile strike hit a basement in the Kafr Sousaa neighborhood, killing several people.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Heavy fighting in Damascus as Annan to seek Russian help to end Syria crisis. Al Arabiya with Agencies. 2012-07-15. 2012-07-17. Al Arabiya.
  2. Sam Dagher, 'Assad Readies for U.S. Strike Despite Delay', The Wall Street Journal, Tuesday, September 3, 2013, p. A6
  3. News: Robyn . Powell . Chivers, Tom . Israel denies assassinating Hezbollah chief . https://web.archive.org/web/20080215010927/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2008%2F02%2F13%2Fwhizbollah213.xml . 15 February 2008 . dead . . 13 February 2008 . London .
  4. Web site: UN Security Council condemns Syria suicide attacks . BBC News . 24 December 2011 . 24 December 2011 .
  5. Web site: Syria names park in capital after N Korea founder.
  6. News: Suleiman Al-Khalidi. Israeli missile strikes building in central Damascus, five dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230219022028/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-missile-strikes-building-central-damascus-several-casualties-witnesses-2023-02-18/ . 19 February 2023 . . 19 February 2023 . 19 February 2023.