DruzeThe Druze ('druːz; دَرْزِيٌّ, or دُرْزِيٌّ , () دُرُوزٌ, ) are an Arab and Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion whose main tenets are the unity of God and the belief in reincarnation and the eternity of the soul. Adherents of the Druze religion call themselves simply "the Monotheists" (al-Muwaḥḥidūn). Most Druze religious practices are kept secret. The Druze do not permit outsiders to convert to their religion.
Lebanese Civil WarThe Lebanese Civil War (الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities and an exodus of almost one million people from Lebanon. The diversity of the Lebanese population played a notable role in the lead-up to and during the conflict: Sunni Muslims and Christians comprised the majority in the coastal cities; Shia Muslims were primarily based in the south and the Beqaa Valley in the east; and Druze and Christians populated the country's mountainous areas.
AdanaAdana (aˈda.na; Ադանա; Άδανα) is a large city in southern Turkey. It is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The administrative seat of Adana province, which had a population of 2.274 million according to the official end-2022 estimates, the city itself had a population of 1,779,463 at that date, making it the fifth most populous city in Turkey. Adana lies in the heart of Cilicia, which was once one of the most important regions of the classical world.
TaqiyaIn Islam, Taqiya or Taqiyya (تقیة , literally "prudence, fear") is a precautionary dissimulation or denial of religious belief and practice. Generally, taqiya is the action of committing a sinful act (such as feigning unbelief) for a pious goal. Hiding one’s beliefs under compulsion is common in many societies and religions. It has been a feature of Islam since its earliest days, and is acknowledged by Muslims of virtually all persuasions. However, the use of Taqiyyah varies, especially between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
HomsHoms (UKhɒms , UShɔːms,_hɔːmz,_hʊms , , ; حِمْص / ALA-LC: ħɪmsʕ; Levantine Arabic: حُمْص / Ḥomṣ ħɔmsʕ), known in pre-Islamic Syria as Emesa (ˈɛməsə ; Émesa), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is also the central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean coast. Before the Syrian Civil War, Homs was a major industrial centre, and with a population of at least 652,609 people in 2004, it was the third-largest city in Syria after Aleppo to the north and the capital Damascus to the south.
SidonSidon ('said@n) or Saida (صيدا Ṣaydā) is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate, of which it is the capital, on the Mediterranean coast. Tyre to the south and Lebanese capital Beirut to the north are both about away. Sidon has a population of about 80,000 within city limits, while its metropolitan area has more than a quarter-million inhabitants. The Phoenician name Ṣīdūn (𐤑𐤃𐤍, ) probably meant "fishery" or "fishing town". It is mentioned in Papyrus Anastasi I as Djedouna.
Orontes RiverThe Orontes (ɔːˈrɒntiːz; from Ancient Greek Ὀρόντης, ) or Asi (العاصي, alˈʕaːsʕiː; Asi) is a river with a length of in Western Asia that begins in Lebanon, flowing northwards through Syria before entering the Mediterranean Sea near Samandağ in Turkey. As the chief river of the northern Levant, the Orontes was the site of several major battles. Among the most important cities on the river are Homs, Hama, Jisr al-Shughur, and Antakya (the ancient Antioch, which was also known as "Antioch on the Orontes").
Ba'ath PartyThe Arab Socialist Baʿth Party (also anglicized as Baath in loose transcription; حزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي Ḥizb al-Baʿth al-ʿArabī al-Ishtirākī ˈħɪzb alˈbaʕθ alˈʕarabiː alʔɪʃtɪˈraːkiː) was a political party founded in Syria by Mishel ʿAflaq, Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Bīṭār, and associates of Zakī al-ʾArsūzī. The party espoused Baʿthism (from Arabic بعث baʿth meaning 'resurrection'), which is an ideology mixing Arab nationalist, pan-Arab, Arab socialist, and anti-imperialist interests.
Syrian Armed ForcesThe Syrian Armed Forces (al-Quwwāt al-Musallaḥah al-ʿArabīyah as-Sūrīyah) are the military forces of the Syrian Arab Republic. They consist of the Syrian Army, Syrian Air Force, Syrian Navy, Syrian Air Defense Force, and paramilitary forces, such as the National Defence Force. According to the Syrian constitution, the President of Syria is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The military is a conscripted force; males serve in the military at age 18, but they are exempted from service if they do not have a brother who can take care of their parents.
HeterodoxyIn religion, heterodoxy (from Ancient Greek: , "other, another, different" + , "popular belief") means "any opinions or doctrines at variance with an official or orthodox position". Under this definition, heterodoxy is similar to unorthodoxy, while the adjective 'heterodox' could be applied to a dissident. Heterodoxy is also an ecclesiastical term of art, defined in various ways by different religions and churches.
