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Eastern Ghouta: The Last Rebel Stronghold Near Syria’s Capital

What happened in Eastern Ghouta and why? Explore the details of the siege, evacuations, and impact on the civilians in this comprehensive summary.

The Siege of Eastern Ghouta

After the 2011 anti-government protests in Syria, Eastern Ghouta became a stronghold for rebel fighters. The Syrian government imposed a siege on the area in 2013, cutting off access to food, water, and medical supplies. In 2017, Turkey, Russia, and Iran agreed to designate Eastern Ghouta as a “de-escalation zone,” but the rebels were accused of violating the agreement by launching mortar shells at Damascus.

The All-Out Campaign

On February 19, 2018, the Syrian army forces backed by Russian warplanes escalated their offensive on Eastern Ghouta, killing hundreds of people within days. On February 25, the ground offensive was launched to retake control of the area. By March 11, the Syrian forces had captured the largest town of Mesraba, splitting Eastern Ghouta into three parts.

Chemical Attacks and Evacuations

On April 8, local medics reported deaths they said were caused by a toxic gas attack on the town of Douma. The US and Turkish presidents threatened retaliation, but Syria and Russia denied the claims as “fabrications.” In the following weeks, thousands of opposition fighters and their families were evacuated from Eastern Ghouta to other areas in Syria under opposition control.

Reclaiming Eastern Ghouta

By April 12, the Syrian army declared that all of Eastern Ghouta was under its control, and Russian military police began patrolling the area. This marked the end of the rebel stronghold near the Syrian capital, with the government regaining control of the strategically important region.

The Impact on Civilians

The 104-square-kilometer Ghouta district was home to around 400,000 civilians, half of whom were under the age of 18. The death toll in the region reached 1,473 civilians over a 30-day period, including 301 children and 185 women. The civilians also faced a severe humanitarian crisis, with limited access to food, water, and medical care.

The Ongoing Civil War

The recapture of Eastern Ghouta by the Syrian government represents a significant development in the country’s ongoing civil war, which entered its eighth year on March 15, 2018. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 465,000 Syrians and the displacement of over 12 million people from their homes.

The Involvement of Regional Powers

The siege and offensive on Eastern Ghouta involved the participation of various regional powers. Turkey, Russia, and Iran were involved in the 2017 agreement to designate Eastern Ghouta as a “de-escalation zone,” while the US and Turkey threatened retaliation over the alleged chemical attack.

What was the strategic importance of Eastern Ghouta for the Syrian government? Eastern Ghouta’s proximity to the capital, Damascus, made it a strategically important region for the Syrian government to reclaim from the rebel forces. According to the government, the rebels in Eastern Ghouta had also been shelling the capital, further highlighting the need for the government to regain control of the area.

How did the siege and offensive impact the civilian population in Eastern Ghouta? The siege and offensive had a devastating impact on the civilian population in Eastern Ghouta. The region was home to around 400,000 civilians, half of whom were under the age of 18. The death toll reached 1,473 civilians over a 30-day period, including 301 children and 185 women. The civilians also faced a severe humanitarian crisis, with limited access to food, water, and medical care.

What role did regional powers play in the events in Eastern Ghouta? The siege and offensive on Eastern Ghouta involved the participation of various regional powers. Turkey, Russia, and Iran were involved in the 2017 agreement to designate Eastern Ghouta as a “de-escalation zone,” while the US and Turkey threatened retaliation over the alleged chemical attack.

How did the recapture of Eastern Ghouta by the Syrian government impact the ongoing civil war in the country? The recapture of Eastern Ghouta by the Syrian government represents a significant development in the country’s ongoing civil war, which entered its eighth year on March 15, 2018. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 465,000 Syrians and the displacement of over 12 million people from their homes.

Eastern Ghouta: What happened and why | Humanitarian Crises News

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It was the last rebel stronghold near the Syrian capital.

Video Duration 02 minutes 31 seconds 02:31

Published On 14 Apr 201814 Apr 2018

After a fierce seven-week offensive that left much of Eastern Ghouta in rubble, and an alleged chemical attack, the Syrian army regained control of the areas which have been held by opposition fighters since 2012.

Russian military police reportedly began patrolling in the area on April 12, as part of an evacuation deal reached with rebel groups.

Here is how it all unfolded:

What happened?

  • Siege: After the outbreak of anti-government protests in 2011, Eastern Ghouta became a rebel stronghold of opposition fighters and the Syrian government imposed a siege on it since 2013.

  • De-escalation: Turkey, Russia and Iran agreed in 2017 to designate Eastern Ghouta a “de-escalation zone”, in which Syrian and Russian fighter jets were expected not to fly.

  • According to Russian and pro-government sources, rebels in Eastern Ghouta violated the agreement by launching mortar shells at Damascus.

  • All-out campaign: On February 19, Syrian army forces backed by Russian warplanes escalated the offensive on Eastern Ghouta, killing hundreds of people within days.

  • On February 25, the Syrian army forces launched a ground offensive to retake control of the area.

  • Evacuations: On March 9, fighters from a group excluded in the UN ceasefire resolution were evacuated from Eastern Ghouta to other areas in Syria under opposition control.

  • By April 8, all opposition groups in Eastern Ghouta agreed to evacuate.

  • On April 12, all of Eastern Ghouta was declared under the control of the Syrian army, and Russian military police patrols.

Ground offensive

  • On February 25, Syrian government forces launched a ground offensive on the edges of Eastern Ghouta to enable their ground forces to advance.

  • By March 11, the Syrian forces captured Mesraba the largest town in Eastern Ghouta, which lies 10km east of Damascus.

  • This split the area into three parts: Douma and its surroundings, Harasta in the west, and the rest of the towns further south.

  • Bashar’s visit: On March 19, Syrian state TV release footage that showed President Bashar al-Assad greeting soldiers in Eastern Ghouta.

  • “The people of Damascus appreciate all of you for protecting the city, and we will remember this for tens of years, or even generations,” Assad told the soldiers.

  • Chemical attacks: On April 8, local medics reported deaths they said were caused by a toxic gas attack on the besieged town of Douma, claims denied by Syria and Russia as “fabrications”. 

  • The US president and the Turkish president separately threatened that those behind the attack will pay a heavy price.

Evacuation

  • On March 9, members from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra Front), one of the groups excluded in the UN ceasefire resolution, were reportedly evacuated.

  • On March 22, hundreds more of opposition fighters and their families were evacuated from the town of Harasta.

  • On March 24, a 17-bus convoy left Eastern Ghouta late in the day, carrying more than 994 people and bound for Idlib, a rebel-held town in the north.

  • On March 27, a convoy of 100 buses departed from the Irbin corridor towards rebel-held Idlib province in the north, evacuating at least 6,750 people marking the largest evacuation to date, according to state media.  

  • On April 8, the Russian army said it had struck a deal with Jaish al-Islam to withdraw about 8,000 of its fighters and some 40,000 of their relatives.

  • As of April 12, it is unclear if all fighters have been evacuated.

PEOPLE AND POWER: Syria – Under Russia’s fist (25:00)

Why Eastern Ghouta?

  • Capital nearby: Eastern Ghouta is about 10 kilometres east of central Damascus. Being so close to the capital makes it important for the Syrian government to reclaim the area from the rebels.

  • According to the Syrian government, rebels in Eastern Ghouta have also been shelling the capital.

  • Ongoing war: On March 15, the civil war in Syria will enter its eighth year, with more than 465,000 Syrians killed and over 12 million displaced from their homes.

  • The 104sq km Ghouta district is home to about 400,000 civilians, half of whom are under the age of 18.

Casualties

  • Death toll: 1,473 civilians have been killed in Eastern Ghouta over the past 30 days, according to the death toll compiled by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on March 20.

  • This includes 301 children and 185 women.

  • Chlorine gas: Syria’s Civil Defence rescuers said victims in Eastern Ghouta were showing symptoms “consistent with exposure to toxic chlorine gas”.
  • Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described allegations of gas use as “bogus stories”.

Humanitarian aid

  • Starting from Tuesday, February 27, civilians were supposedly offered to flee Eastern Ghouta through a “humanitarian corridor”, during a daily five-hour pause announced by Russia.

  • The first aid convoy to enter Eastern Ghouta was on March 5. Russia’s foreign minister had blamed the “militants entrenched there, who still continue shelling Damascus, blocking aid deliveries and the evacuation of those wishing to leave”.

  • The Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria had announced a second humanitarian convoy planned for Thursday, March 8, but it made it in only on Friday, postponed by heavy shelling on Thursday.

  • The International Committee of the Red Cross also confirmed that the Syrian government troops confiscated medical equipment bound for the enclave.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies


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Eastern Ghouta Syria: The neighbourhoods below the bombs

  • Published

The last rebel-held town in the Eastern Ghouta region outside Syria’s capital, Damascus, is on the verge of falling after a six-week-long government offensive that has reportedly killed more than 1,700 civilians.

The United Nations estimates that 70,000 civilians are trapped in the town of Douma, which is controlled by the Jaysh al-Islam rebel group. It has said its fighters want to disarm and stay there, but the government’s ally Russia has reportedly ruled that out.

The five-year battle for the Eastern Ghouta has devastated whole neighbourhoods.

In one district, 93% of buildings had been damaged or destroyed by December, according to UN satellite imagery analysis. The surge of rocket fire, shelling and air strikes that accompanied the ground assault launched on 18 February caused further destruction.

Western districts were already devastated by December

Source: Damage assessment by UNITAR-UNOSAT and map boundaries by the REACH Initiative. Satellite image Google/DigitalGlobe. Damage assessments cover the densely-populated western districts of the Eastern Ghouta to December 2017.

Bombing in January and February caused further damage

Source: Damage assessment by UNITAR-UNOSAT and map boundaries by the REACH Initiative. Satellite image Google/DigitalGlobe. Map shows rapidly-assessed damage between 3 December 2017 and 23 February 2018.

Roughly the size of Manchester in the UK, the Eastern Ghouta is an agricultural region that was once home to an estimated 400,000 people.

The government’s siege began in 2013, but the humanitarian situation in the enclave worsened significantly after hostilities escalated last November.

  • Why is there war in Syria?
  • Eating inedible plants to survive

The most recent wave of bombings has been among the fiercest of the Syrian war, now in its eighth year.

Essential civilian infrastructure and services have been hit. Satellite imagery analysis by McKenzie Intelligence Services suggests a water tower in the Harasta neighbourhood was among the sites targeted.

Damage to water tower, Harasta, Eastern Ghouta

The UN said on 26 March that 80,000 civilians had fled on foot to government-held territory in Damascus, as troops made dramatic advances and split the enclave into three pockets.

Some 20,000 rebels and civilians have also been evacuated to rebel territory in the north-western province of Idlib under deals with the government and its key ally Russia.

UN agencies and their partners say the last time they were able to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Douma was on 15 March.

A doctor in the area said he would continue treating patients “until we stand with nothing”.

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Media caption,

“At least in heaven there’s food”: The children caught up in Eastern Ghouta air strikes

In the more densely-populated western parts of the Eastern Ghouta, analysis carried out by the UN in December had already identified approximately 3,853 destroyed buildings, 5,141 severely damaged buildings and 3,547 moderately damaged buildings.

Jobar

Jobar suffered the worst damage in areas assessed. Some 93% of the buildings had been damaged or destroyed by December.

It was an active frontline for many months and the civilian population has fled. Only armed groups remain.

Neighbouring Ein Tarma, which became home to many of those who fled Jobar, was the focus of a government offensive in June 2017.

A sharp increase in shelling and air strikes forced Ein Tarma’s residents and displaced families to flee to other areas of the Eastern Ghouta.

A total of 71% of the area’s buildings had been damaged or destroyed by December. More than 75% of the pre-conflict civilian population had fled.

Zamalka

Zamalka had the third highest rate of damage in the Eastern Ghouta area assessed by the UN in December. Some 59% of buildings had been damaged or destroyed.

There was no water or electricity supply for at least two years, and more than 75% of the pre-conflict civilian population had fled.

The intensified bombardment in February saw the area suffer further loss of life, and damage levels are certain to have risen beyond those of December.

Hamouria

Due to Hamouria‘s more central location within the Eastern Ghouta, the amount of damage assessed in December was lower than other areas. Some 11% of buildings had been damaged or destroyed.

However, the area came under repeated attack during this year’s offensive.

Video footage obtained by Reuters showed wreckage at the Al-Shifa hospital, which staff said had been hit by air and artillery strikes.

“The clinics department is out of service, the clinical care unit is out, the surgery unit is out, the incubator unit is out, the paediatric section is out, all of the departments of the hospital are completely out of service,” a man identified as a medical worker said.

Water and electricity have been unavailable there since June 2016.

Saqba

Saqba, which had avoided the high levels of destruction suffered by neighbouring areas, also came under sustained attack in February and March.

By December, 27% of its buildings had been either damaged or destroyed. That figure is likely to have increased.

More than half of its population was made up of people who had fled other areas.

Water and electricity are unavailable there.

Kafr Batna

Kafr Batna, where 21% of buildings had been damaged or destroyed by December, was attacked repeatedly by government warplanes in the latest round of bombings.

Douma

Image source, AFP

Douma – the biggest town in the district – was not included in the UN’s damage assessments in December. However, it was hit badly in the latest round of air and artillery strikes.

Basema Abdullah, a widow huddled in a basement with her four children, told Reuters: “We are in desperate need for your prayers.”

Satellite imagery of Al-Biruni University Hospital, near Douma, appeared to show a roadblock on a nearby highway.

McKenzie Intelligence Services analysts said it suggested the hospital was only accessible by areas still loyal to the government.

Roadblock at Al-Biruni University Hospital, near Douma

Satellite images also showed a trench network has been constructed in Harasta, south west of Douma, next to a military barracks.

Analysts said the trenches were likely occupied by rebel fighters, given their location, and would allow them to move around the area without being hit by shrapnel and out of the sight of observers who could call in artillery or air strikes.

Humanitarian crisis

The intense government bombardment forced families to live in underground basements and shelters for weeks – many without water, sanitation or ventilation systems, making children vulnerable to the spread of disease.

A bundle of bread cost close to 22 times the national average as the government assault began, and 11.9% of children under five years old were acutely malnourished – the highest rate recorded in Syria since the beginning of the war.

Residents described going days without eating, consuming non-edible plants, or reducing the size of their meals due to a lack of access to food.

The Syrian government denied targeting civilians and insisted it was trying to liberate the Eastern Ghouta from “terrorists” – a term it has used to describe both jihadist militants and the mainstream rebel groups that dominate the enclave.

By Lucy Rodgers, Alison Trowsdale and Mark Bryson.

Sights of Batken region – 06/27/2023, Sputnik Kyrgyzstan

https://ru.sputnik.kg/20230627/dostoprimechatelnosti-batkenskoy-oblasti-1076580276.html

Sights of Batken region

Attractions of Batken region

Batken region is ideal for people who prefer active research recreation: trekking, mountaineering, horseback riding are developed here… 06/27/2023, Sputnik Kyrgyzstan

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2023-06-27T15:41+0600

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The most popular and unique place in the Batken region is Mount Aigul-Tash. Find out what it is famous for and what other sights deserve your attention from our material. Mount Aigul-Tash is located 19 kilometers southeast of the city of Batken. This mountain is considered the heart of the Batken region. It got its name in honor of the girl Aigul, who, according to legend, threw herself off the top, unable to bear the loss of her beloved. Allegedly, from that time on the slope, a “moon flower” with a height of 80-90 centimeters with bright orange petals. It has nothing to do with the moon, it simply “hides” from the sun and grows only on the shady side of the mountain. Aigul is an endemic plant, it can be seen in early April only in the Batken region. A rare flower is listed in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan, you can’t pick it – violators face a fine. It is forbidden to graze livestock in the place of growth. Many tried to plant Aigul in another place, but all attempts were unsuccessful. Kan-i-Gut CaveLocated 52 kilometers from Batken. The cave was one of the key points of the Great Silk Road. Now its length is 6 kilometers, and the depth is 100 meters. There are legends that treasures were hidden inside the cave. The name “Kan-i-Gut” is popularly interpreted as “whoever gets there will not return.” Once upon a time, those sentenced to death were sent to the cave so that they would find wealth or die, lost in numerous passages. The cultural monument was mentioned in the writings of Abu Ali ibn Sina, a famous Persian scientist and philosopher. Miners worked here between the 9th and 11th centuries. The Kan Fortress is located 60 kilometers south of Batken in the mountains of the Turkestan Range. It was built in the 17th century during the reign of Kudayar Khan. Even after so many years, you can see the well-preserved walls of the fortress that defended the Kokand Khanate from enemies. This khanate was one of the most influential state formations in Central Asia. It has existed since 1709th to 1876 on the territory of modern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, southern Kazakhstan and East Turkestan. Under the USSR, an apricot orchard was planted on the territory of the fortress. By the way, residents of neighboring villages believe that the spirit of Kudayar Khan still roams the territory. Karavshin Gorge It is located 60 kilometers from Batken. This place is popular with climbers and mountain tourists. There are many peaks here, but only three are suitable for climbing: Pyramidal (5509 meters above sea level), Asan (4230) and Usen (4378). Alpine meadows, turbulent rivers and glaciers decorate the gorge and fascinate with their beauty. Deserted expanses make this place especially mysterious and quiet. Sarkent National Park It is located at a distance of 141 kilometers from Batken. Sarkent Park impresses with its scale: its total area is more than 40 thousand hectares. The main task of the park is to preserve biodiversity. There are five alpine lakes on the territory, surrounded by juniper forests and rocks. Many animals listed in the Red Book live here: snow leopard, lynx, brown bear, golden eagle, saker falcon, kumai. Willow, sea buckthorn, barberry, almonds grow in the park. For tourists and local residents, yurts are installed where you can spend the night, try koumiss and ayran. Lake Ai-Kol It is located at an altitude of 3000 meters above sea level, 145 kilometers from Batken. Translated from Kyrgyz, Ai-Kol means “lunar lake”. Its area is only 820 meters. From October to March, the water surface is ice-bound. Walking along the coast will not work – the lake is surrounded by sheer cliffs. There is little vegetation in this area, almost no trees. It should be noted that the natural attraction is located in the border area, which may require special permission to visit. It is better to go here with guides. The Sary-Too Mountains are located 35 kilometers from Batken. Once they were the bottom of the ancient Sarmatian Sea, and from the Kyrgyz name it is translated as “yellow mountains”. The people of Sary-Too are also called “mountains of shells”: they store many fossils of heterodont mollusks that existed in the Ordovician period, which began approximately 485 million years ago. Of the historical monuments, there are also blast furnaces in which silver was smelted at the end of the 19th century. Kara-Tokoy Valley It is located 30 kilometers from Batken. There is a little-known but very beautiful alpine dark blue lake. The path to it leads through a dense spruce forest and meadows with tall grass. Not far from the lake there is a glacier of the same name with a length of 1900 meters. It is located at an altitude of almost 3500 meters above sea level. The valley is perfect for trekking and horseback riding.

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Kyrgyzstan, Batken region, tourism, attractions, batken, nature, aigul flower, caves, mountains

kyrgyzstan, batken region, tourism, attractions, batken, nature, aigul flower, caves, mountains

The most popular and unique place in the Batken region is Mount Aigul-Tash. What it is famous for and what other sights deserve your attention, find out from our material.

Mount Aigul-Tash

Located 19 kilometers southeast of the city of Batken. This mountain is considered the heart of the Batken region. It got its name in honor of the girl Aigul, who, according to legend, threw herself off the top, unable to bear the loss of her beloved. Allegedly, from that time on the slope, a “moon flower” with a height of 80-90 centimeters with bright orange petals. It has nothing to do with the moon, it simply “hides” from the sun and grows only on the shady side of the mountain.

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© Vlad Ushakov /

The most popular and unique place in the Batken region is Mount Aigul-Tash.

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© Photo / Vlad Ushakov /

Located 19 kilometers southeast of the city of Batken. This mountain is considered the heart of the Batken region.

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© Sputnik / Maksat Elebesov /

Aigul is an endemic plant, it can be seen in early April only in Batken region.

1/3

© Vlad Ushakov /

The most popular and unique place in the Batken region is Mount Aigul-Tash.

2/3

© Photo / Vlad Ushakov /

Located 19 kilometers southeast of the city of Batken. This mountain is considered the heart of the Batken region.

3/3

© Sputnik / Maksat Elebesov /

Aigul is an endemic plant that can be seen in early April only in the Batken region.

Aigul is an endemic plant, it can be seen in early April only in Batken region. A rare flower is listed in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan, you can’t pick it – violators face a fine. It is forbidden to graze livestock in the place of growth. Many tried to plant Aigul in another place, but all attempts were unsuccessful.

Kan-i-Gut Cave

Located 52 kilometers from Batken. The cave was one of the key points of the Great Silk Road. Now its length is 6 kilometers, and the depth is 100 meters.

Legend has it that treasures were hidden inside the cave. The name “Kan-i-Gut” is popularly interpreted as “whoever gets there will not return.” Once upon a time, those sentenced to death were sent to the cave so that they would find riches or die, lost in numerous passages.

The cultural monument was mentioned in the works of Abu Ali ibn Sina, a famous Persian scientist and philosopher. Miners worked here between the 9th and 11th centuries.

Caen Fortress

Located 60 kilometers south of Batken in the mountains of the Turkestan Range. It was built in the 17th century during the reign of Kudayar Khan.

Even after so many years, you can see the well-preserved walls of the fortress that defended the Kokand Khanate from enemies. This khanate was one of the most influential state formations in Central Asia. It existed from 1709 to 1876 on the territory of modern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, southern Kazakhstan and East Turkestan.

Under the USSR, an apricot orchard was planted on the territory of the fortress. By the way, residents of neighboring villages believe that the spirit of Kudayar Khan still roams the territory.

Karavshin Gorge

Located 60 kilometers from Batken. This place is popular with climbers and mountain tourists. There are many peaks here, but only three are suitable for climbing: Pyramidal (5509 meters above sea level), Asan (4230) and Usen (4378).

Batken ❤
Kara-Suu gorge or Kerevshin (Karavshin, Karabshin) is one of the most legendary mountaineering locations, where every year dozens of daredevils from all over the world come to conquer these sharp peaks of the Trans-Alay Range, part of the Pamir-Alay 😍🏄‍♂️ ✊🗻

Photo by ekaitzmaiz/insta pic.twitter.com/tWPvztGOKw

— Azamat Bekzo (@presidentbekzo) October 7, 2021

Alpine meadows, turbulent rivers and glaciers decorate the gorge and captivate with their beauty. Deserted expanses make this place especially mysterious and quiet.

Sarkent National Park

Located at a distance of 141 kilometers from Batken. Sarkent Park impresses with its scale: its total area is more than 40 thousand hectares.

© Photo / Vlad UshakovSarkent National Park

Sarkent National Park

© Photo / Vlad Ushakov

The main task of the park is to preserve biodiversity. There are five alpine lakes on the territory, surrounded by juniper forests and rocks. Many animals listed in the Red Book live here: snow leopard, lynx, brown bear, golden eagle, saker falcon, kumai. Willow, sea buckthorn, barberry, almonds grow in the park.

For tourists and local residents there are yurts where you can spend the night, try koumiss and ayran.

Lake Ai-Kol

Located at an altitude of 3000 meters above sea level, 145 kilometers from Batken. Translated from Kyrgyz, Ai-Kol means “lunar lake”. Its area is only 820 meters.

From October to March the water surface is covered with ice. Walking along the coast will not work – the lake is surrounded by sheer cliffs. There is little vegetation in this area, almost no trees.

It should be noted that the natural attraction is located in the border area, which may require special permission to visit. It is better to go here with guides.

Sary-Too Mountains

Located 35 kilometers from Batken. Once they were the bottom of the ancient Sarmatian Sea, and from Kyrgyz the name is translated as “yellow mountains”.

© Vlad UshakovSary-Too Mountains

Sary-Too Mountains

© Vlad Ushakov

People also call Sary-Too “shell mountains”: they store many fossils of heterodont mollusks that existed in the Ordovician sky period, which began approximately 485 million years ago.

Among the historical monuments there are also blast furnaces in which silver was smelted at the end of the 19th century.

Kara-Tokoy Valley

Located 30 kilometers from Batken. There is a little-known but very beautiful alpine dark blue lake. The path leads to it through a dense spruce forest and meadows with tall grass.

Not far from the lake there is a 1900 meters long glacier of the same name. It is located at an altitude of almost 3500 meters above sea level.

The valley is perfect for trekking and horse riding.

Sights of the Naryn region

Sights of the Talas region

The Berlin Wall… 25 years later: alexcheban — LiveJournal ly divide Ukraine, cities and villages, and people in them, in Berlin this year marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of the country.

Today I am in Berlin, where in the evening I will meet with Eduard Gavailer gavailer and go to see an amazing art installation that will be in the city for only three evenings. Thousands of luminous balls will light up on a fifteen-kilometer section of the former wall, and on Sunday evening, 9November, they will fly into the air. I’m thrilled even with the announcement, I think it’s really going to be incredible. What else can be added here?! Make Art&Love, No War!

Five years ago I was in Berlin, when the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Wall was celebrated here, the text and photo in this post is the first post in my blog, the blog alexcheban started from it on November 9, 2009. Today I want to repost my own article.

On the night of August 13, 1963, a strip of barbed wire was stretched along the entire perimeter of East Berlin and armed guards were posted. Families, friends, relatives, colleagues were separated in one night. As a result of the events of one night, close people lost a full-fledged connection with each other for the next 26 years.

One of my favorite cities in the world. Bright, stylish, modern, not expensive, diverse. I will gladly go back there again and again. It makes no sense to talk about historical and cultural sights, they are really not so expressive there in comparison with other European capitals. In Berlin, you need to look for something special and everyone will find it in it.

Arriving in Berlin not for the first time, I set out to see something that I had not seen before and that, perhaps, I would not be able to see in the future, and the Berlin Wall became my route. And so it happened, the main fragment of the wall was reconstructed in 2009m year and those original graffiti that you will see below – you will not be able to see it alive . .. But first things first.

Probably there is no other precedent in history when the city is divided absolutely artificially. There are cities where the division is created on a religious and ethnic basis – the Gaza Strip in Palestine. But in the case of Berlin, this is an incredibly cruel and absurd phenomenon. Near one of the main checkpoints between East and West Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie, there is now a wall museum. http://www.mauermuseum.de/ Along with Auschwitz, this museum has the strongest emotional impact. Such museums must exist to be able to see the mistakes of previous generations and their consequences.

A bit of chronology:

1945 – the battle for Berlin. The division of Berlin (and Germany as a whole) into four zones: Soviet, American, British and French. At the same time, actually divided Berlin finds itself in the center of the Soviet part of Germany.

1948 – The three years that have passed since the end of the war show that the plans of the former allies regarding the future of Germany are very different. The crisis is getting worse. On the Soviet side, a new monetary unit, the ostmark, is introduced. On the West – Deutschmark. In addition, the indignation of the West is caused by the actions of the Soviet administration to actually curtail the initial plans for the creation of a united Germany. Ultimately, Soviet troops blockade West Berlin, hermetically sealing it from all sides.

1949 – the formal proclamation of two independent states of the German Democratic Republic, and the Federal Republic of Germany. The creation of a natural border between the two parts of Germany is in full swing. The first difficulties for citizens of both parts of the country in crossing the still conditional border.

1953 – the suppression of the rebellion in the Soviet part of Berlin. Hundreds of killed citizens.

1954-1960 – gradual elimination of any cross-border activity. Up to three million (!) residents of the GDR (almost 20% of the total population) are leaving the GDR and moving to the FRG and West Berlin. The external borders of the GDR and the internal borders with West Berlin have completely overlapped over the years, leaving several official checkpoints. From 19For 61 years, the exit from the GDR is completely blocked.

1961 – the beginning of the construction of the Berlin Wall.

1961-1970 expansion of the security zone along the wall line. The construction of five (!) Lines of barriers. In fact, the wall becomes a structure up to 150 meters wide, consisting of the wall itself, then a line of barbed wire fence, then a dug up strip, then another line of fences, and then another wall. Inside, between the two main walls, there are almost two hundred watchtowers, and there is a round-the-clock patrol

1972 – The GDR and the FRG agree on some liberalization of contacts. The inhabitants of the GDR and West Berlin have the opportunity to visit each other. Several checkpoints open at once: Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, Cottubus Gate, Bernauer Strasse and a number of others. These visits are not as free as it might seem, and were not available to everyone. Still, it was a big step.
November 9, 1989 – the fall of the Berlin Wall. The border between West Berlin and the GDR no longer exists.

Fragment of chronological graffiti on the surviving section of the Wall:

A dry historical stroke does not take into account a huge number of nuances. Take, for example, the Berlin Underground. With the division of the city, all lines crossing the new border were cut. The tunnels are blocked, several stations have become dead, they were nicknamed in the American manner Ghost Stations. This especially affected the central and junction station of Friedrichstrasse, which is a mere 10-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate. Completely paralyzing this station would mean completely killing the city’s metro, both for the eastern part and for the western one. In the end, Solomon’s decision was made. Through this station, located on the territory of the GDR, trains from West Berlin were nevertheless allowed to enter. But they passed the station without stopping. And machine gunners with dogs were on duty on the platform. A similar “indulgence” was received from West Berlin and the metro from the GDR (in another section, where the junction station was outside the GDR), however, after the incident with the train stopping and the mass flight of fellow citizens, this practice was stopped by the GDR authorities.0003

Of course, the wall was not erected suddenly, but the very fact of the separation was cynically swift. On the night of August 13, 1963, a strip of barbed wire was stretched along the entire perimeter of East Berlin and armed guards were posted. Families, friends, relatives, colleagues were separated in one night. As a result of the events of one night, close people lost a full-fledged connection with each other for the next 26 years.

Bernauer Strasse. Here the Wall ran in close proximity to a long row of houses: the street itself was in the West, and the apartments in the houses were in the East. The windows of the houses facing this direction posed a threat in the eyes of the GDR authorities. First, it ordered the apartments on the first floor to be walled up, then the rest of the tenants began to be evicted. September 25 1961, 77-year-old Frida Schulze jumped out of an apartment on the ground floor of building 29 (the first parts of the Wall were built on August 13). Below, firefighters from the western part of the city pulled up a tarpaulin. The woman survived. Many people died while jumping from windows and rooftops. A tunnel was even dug on Bernauer Strasse, through which 57 East Germans fled safely to the West in 1962.

One of the most famous photographs is East Berlin soldier Konrad Schumann jumping over barbed wire on August 1963 years old. It was the first successful escape.

The most famous cases of escapes from the GDR are the following: a mass exodus through a tunnel 145 meters long, flying on a hang glider, in a home-made balloon made of nylon fragments, along a rope thrown between the windows of neighboring houses, using a bulldozer to ram the wall. In places where the border passed along the river at a depth of half a meter from the surface of the water, metal shields with pointed rods and barbed wire were installed.

Wall victims:

According to some estimates, 645 people died during the attempt to overcome the Berlin Wall from August 13, 1961 to November 9, 1989.
– The first to be shot while trying to escape from East Berlin was 24-year-old Günter Litfin on August 24, 1961.
– On August 17, 1962, Peter Fechter died at the border crossing from loss of blood, after the border guards of the GDR opened fire on him.
– On October 5, 1964, while trying to detain a large group of fugitives of 57 people, the border guard Egon Schulz, whose name was elevated to a cult in the GDR, was killed (later documents were published, according to which he was shot by mistake by colleagues).
– In 1966, GDR border guards shot 2 children aged 10 and 13 with 40 shots.
– The last victim of the regime operating in the border areas was Chris Geffroy, who was shot on February 6, 1989.

According to historians, a total of 75,000 people were sentenced for trying to escape from the GDR. Escape from the GDR was punishable under section 213 of the criminal law of the GDR by deprivation of liberty for up to 8 years. Those who were armed, attempted to destroy border installations, or were at the time of capture a soldier or member of the security services were sentenced to at least five years in prison. Helping to escape from the GDR was the most dangerous – such daredevils were threatened with life imprisonment.

I walked along several sections of the wall that have survived. S-bahn station Warschauer strasse, go down to the Spree embankment and the Cottbus bridge. From the bridge stretches the largest surviving section of the wall, almost 1.5 kilometers, right along the river. The bridge itself was the border between the GDR and West Berlin.

On the east side, the wall had multi-level protection, and on the west side, it could be approached closely. The wall in the last decade of its existence has become a canvas for acute social and political graffiti. This site in 2009reconstructed – the old graffiti was washed away, the people who painted them were invited and they repeated the drawings again. I take this very negatively. Below are my photographs taken in September 2008: these are original works, which, yes, were sketched with something else over time, partially destroyed, but they are original, they were drawn in the late 80s under the influence of feelings, emotions, protest and were not a tribute to modern art.

The most famous graffiti Walls:

Trabant, the most popular car in the GDR – “Test The Best”

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Streams of people rush through the wall immediately after it falls.

Modern graffiti 0002

Let me remind you again – already this year the new graffiti has been washed away, and the old one has been redrawn. Such pictures can no longer be taken.

The fall of the wall

When, in May 1989, under the influence of perestroika in the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact partner of the GDR, Hungary, destroyed the fortifications on the border with its western neighbor Austria, the GDR leadership was not going to follow its example. But soon it lost control of the rapidly unfolding events. Thousands of citizens of the GDR fled to other Eastern European countries in the hope of getting from there to West Germany. When on September 11, 1989, the Hungarian government announced the opening of the borders, the Berlin Wall lost its meaning: within three days of the GDR, 15 thousand citizens left through the territory of Hungary. Mass demonstrations began in the country demanding civil rights and freedoms.

November 9, 1989 at 19:34, speaking at a press conference, which was broadcast on television, the representative of the government of the GDR Günter Schabowski announced the new rules for leaving and entering the country. According to the decisions taken, from the next day, citizens of the GDR could obtain visas for immediate visits to West Berlin and the FRG. Hundreds of thousands of East Germans, without waiting for the appointed time, rushed on the evening of November 9 to the border. The border guards, who did not receive orders, first tried to push back the crowd, used water cannons, but then, yielding to the mass pressure, were forced to open the border. Thousands of residents of West Berlin came out to meet guests from the East. The event looked like a folk festival. The feeling of happiness and brotherhood washed away all state barriers and barriers. West Berliners, in turn, began to cross the border, breaking into the eastern part of the city.

November 9, 2009 …20 years have passed.

November 2014 …25 years have passed.

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