Morek

Morek (Arabic: مورك, also spelled Murik, Mork, or Murak) is a Syrian town located in the Suran Subdistrict in Hama District. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Morek had a population of 14,307 in the 2004 census.^[1]

Morek مورك Murak, Murik
Town
Morek Location in Syria
Coordinates: 35°22′31″N 36°41′14″E
Country	Syria
Governorate	Hama
District	Hama
Subdistrict	Suran
Population  (2004)
• Total	14,307
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
City Qrya Pcode	C3029

Morek is the center of the country's pistachio production.^[2] Through Morek, passes the M5 highway which connects Hama with Aleppo.^[3]

History

In 1838, its inhabitants were noted to be predominantly Sunni Muslims.^[4]

Syrian Civil War

During the Syrian civil war the city was the site of the Battle of Morek. By 2018 it was under the control of Hayat Tahrir al Sham and had become the sight of an important crossing point from rebel held areas into those held by the Syrian government.^[5] On August 12, 2018 the Syrian Arab Army closed that crossing in preparation for their assault on rebel held territory in the region.^[5] The Turkish government had also deployed special forces to Morek in preparation for the SAA's anticipated advance on the Idlib region.^[6] The anticipated advance was averted by a de-militarization agreement signed between Russia and Turkey in September 2018. By May 2019 a group called Jaysh al-Izza^[7] was stationed in the city and was refusing to allow Russian patrols within the demilitarized zone.

On 20 August, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the rebel and Islamic factions including jihadi groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham had completely withdrawn from Morek in the northern countryside of Hama.^[8] Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that the Turkish troops were staying at the Turkish observation post in Morek.^[9]

Turkey withdrew from its base in Morek on 19 October 2020.^[10]

References

1. "General Census of Population 2004". Retrieved 2014-07-10.
2. "World Not Going Nuts for Syrian Pistachios".
3. "Rebels take key north Hama town on M5 highway". Syria Direct. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
4. Smith, in Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. 178
5. Aboufadel, Leith (2018-08-12). "Syrian military closes strategic crossings in preparation for Hama offensive". AMN.
6. "Cards Held by Turkey in Idlib". Enab Baladi. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
7. "From the West, Battles Draw a New Map for Idlib". Enab Baladi. May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
8. "Fearing to fall in a complete siege, the factions and jihadi groups withdraw from Khan Shaykhun city and towns and villages south of it in the northern countryside of Hama". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (in Arabic). 20 August 2019.
9. swissinfo.ch, S. W. I.; Corporation, a branch of the Swiss Broadcasting. "Syrian army captures Hama rebel pocket in northwest - state media". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
10. "Turkey withdraws from base in northwest Syria, sources say". Reuters. 19 October 2020. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020.

Bibliography

• Robinson, E.; Smith, E. (1841). Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea: A Journal of Travels in the year 1838. Vol. 3. Boston: Crocker & Brewster.

• Asia portal