Fires Reach Qardaha: Fire Engulfs Large Areas in Lattakia Countryside
The statement added: “We urge the citizens of the region to refrain from carrying weapons and to hand them over to a location that will be agreed upon later with the new military leadership. We affirm the unity of the territories of the Syrian Arab Republic and the importance of religious, intellectual, and cultural diversity.” The elders also emphasized their desire for “the concerned authorities (security and service units) to enter the Qardaha region (city and countryside) as quickly as possible.” The most symbolic point, however, is their “call for the removal of all statues and pictures from public squares and spaces”. In fact, the town of Qardaha was an essential element in the Assad’s dynasty personality cult. Hafez al-Assad is buried in a “mausoleum” there.
The statement was signed by about 30 elders, dignitaries, and sheikhs of Qardaha. So far, rebels are advancing very carefully on the Syrian coast, in what appears to be an attempt to avoid provoking the Alawite minority. Speaking anonymously, a resident told the al-Araby al-Jadeed website that this was “a positive step”.
