Not a day passes for Tartous, Lattakia or other Syrian provinces without a funeral for someone killed in the regime forces and its militias. According to unofficial estimates, the number of dead from regime forces and its militias number more than 120,000 during the battles that have raged throughout Syria.
The pro-regime “Tartous Here” web page on Monday, Oct. 23 quoted a social worker in the city of Tartous as saying that “the number of girls who are older than 30 and have not been able to meet a partner could exceed 80,000,” with the worker predicting the number could rise, without clarifying the reasons.
The post incited criticism from some of its followers, with most attributing the rise in spinsterhood in Tartous to demands and conditions which they considered prohibitive.
One user, “Bashar Omar,” commented that “prohibitive conditions, snobbery and upturned noses … are behind the increasing numbers,” adding: “Of course the girl and her parents aren’t asking for anything other than marriage … but this marriage still comes to about 10 million [Syrian pounds].”
Another user, “Ali Abou Suleiman,” commented: “Where are we supposed to get an apartment, a car, and a chalet, etc? They’ll still say God help us find a groom, even without a salary.”
Others downplayed the significance in the number of unmarried women over 30: “What’s the scandal? It’s normal after the number of martyrs, God rest them, from this war,” one user wrote. “You’re being unfair, sir. If half of our young men are martyred, what are they [the women] supposed to do? Does this mean they should kiss the hand of every young man they see to get engaged or marry them! Stop calculating God’s will. Everyone has his fate, and if this is the situation, it’s nobody’s fault.”
Most areas under the control of the regime and its militias have witnessed a major increase in rates of spinsterhood in Syrian society, especially in the coast. Here, there is a noticeable lack of young men in the streets due to the regime-led arrest campaigns to ship new fighters to the fronts.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
