Role in Great Syrian Revolt Nasib al-Bakri

al-bakri s home after destruction french during nationwide revolt of 1925



prime minister lutfi al-haffar @ sarail on 23 february 1939. al-bakri standing in front row, first left

the summer of 1925 saw beginning of great syrian revolt, launched sultan pasha al-atrash in jabal al-arab region in southern syria. after atrash s men destroyed french column @ al-kafr, al-bakri received letter al-atrash on 23 july calling on nationalists in damascus join revolt; al-bakri subsequently joined. following french defeat @ battle of mazraa on 3 august, al-bakri began working abd al-ghaffar al-atrash, druze chief of al-suwayda, advance revolt other parts of country outside of hauran. al-bakri set meeting between damascus-based nationalists , sultan al-atrash @ home in qaboun, after 2 sides agreed work uproot french syria.

following meeting, al-bakri conferred al-shahbandar, agreed bring damascus revolt, although initial attempt did not materialize. al-atrash s men headed towards damascus launch attack against french forces there, al-bakri assembled 260 armed volunteers various neighborhoods , villages in , around damascus, including al-shaghour, bab musalla, al-midan, , jaramana. al-bakri maintained particularly close ties hasan al-kharrat, local boss (qabaday) of al-shaghur , friend of al-bakri family. in august, upon al-bakri s urging, al-kharrat formed militia, become 1 of effective rebel bands in country. when french authorities informed of nationalist rebel plans, began wide-scale arrest campaign in city on 27 august, detaining of damascus s nationalist leaders , spokesmen, although al-bakri, brothers, , al-shahbandar managed evade arrest.

he participated in attacks alongside druze warriors against french positions , offices in hauran, , of rebel commanders damascus, al-bakri respected among druze. fighting between rebels , french forces in ghouta escalated, al-bakri devised operation wrest control of damascus french capturing citadel , azm palace. former housed city s french garrison, while latter housed french mandate high commissioner maurice sarrail. al-bakri requested reinforcements al-atrash , men, occupied fighting in hauran , notified al-bakri delayed. al-bakri decided move ahead nonetheless. on 17 october, assembled al-kharrat s group , group of rebels al-midan , jaramana inside damascus. next day al-kharrat launched operation.

while al-kharrat s men managed capture azm palace , police station in bab saghir, al-bakri led band of 200 fighters base in al-midan raid armenian refugee camp in al-qadam, killing several armenian refugees. rebels accused armenians—who along circassians typically allied french authorities—of participating in french military assaults against several ghouta villages in preceding weeks. after attacking al-qadam, al-bakri s forces swept through city, capturing police stations @ bab al-jabiyah, bab musalla , qanawat. each captured neighborhood, forces increased in size enthusiastic bystanders joined in attacks.

sarrail, not in damascus @ time of rebel assault, ordered aerial bombardment of city, leading destruction of whole neighborhoods , deaths of hundreds of damascus residents. 24 october, rebels routed, , al-bakri escaped. became target of criticism among other rebel leaders, namely said al- as. al- stated al-bakri sought personal glory when decided prematurely launch uncoordinated attack small numbers of armed volunteers, instead of waiting arrival of al-atrash s reinforcements, numbered around 1,000. al-bakri member of damascus nationalist elite directly participate in fighting on ground.

in december, al-bakri chaired meeting of rebel leaders in ghouta village of saqba. during meeting, launched scathing criticism of ramadan al-shallash, rebel commander deir ez-zor, condemning him levying heavy fines , other fees against residents of villages of douma, al-qisa, harran al-awamid , al-midaa had been captured rebels. however, these taxes entirely directed @ major landowners , city elites, rather commoners or peasants. defended al-shallash skilled commander, criticized al-bakri s leadership , accused him of holding secret hatreds , ambitions . nonetheless, al-bakri , ally al-kharrat managed have al-shallash expelled rebellion during meeting, , stripped of arms , insignia. however, subsequent french bombardment of saqba allowed al-shallash escape punishment. al-kharrat killed in french raid 2 weeks later, while al-shallash defected french following expulsion. al-bakri s younger brother ad killed in action in 1926.