๐ธ๐พ Douma is a city in Syria. Its centre is about 10 km north-east of the centre of Damascus. Being the centre of Rif Dimashq governorate, the town is also the administrative centre of Douma District. Douma is a major city of the region known as Ghouta, for the peri-urban settlements to the east and south of Damascus.
Douma District is the second largest district of Syria following Tadmur, it stretches from the north-eastern outskirts of Metropolitan Damascus to the Jordanian border, covering large swaths of the sparsely inhabited Syrian Desert.
History During the Syrian Civil War, Douma was a major flashpoint and witnessed numerous demonstrations against the Syrian government and armed clashes against the Syrian Army and security forces during the early stages of the conflict.
On 30 January 2012, the Syrian Army gained control of the city after the Battle of Douma, a major operation against the opposition armed groups in Rif Dimashq Governorate.
On 29 June 2012, the Syrian Army was accused of committing a massacre in Douma, where more than 50 people were killed.
As of 18 October 2012, the Free Syrian Army was in control of most of the suburb. Fighting and bombardments continued in the town.
Douma was the main city of the Siege of Eastern Ghouta which began in April 2013, isolating 400,000 people in a 100 square kilometre area. UN and Red Cross aid convoys were able to reach Douma with food and supplies once in 2018.
In the 2015 Douma market massacre, the city was attacked by Syrian Army ground-to-ground missiles, leaving at least 50 dead and several more missing.
In early 2018, the main rebel faction based in the city was Saudi Arabian-backed Jaysh al-Islam (Army of Islam), with an estimated 10-15,000 fighters in the region.
On 7 April 2018, a chemical attack was carried out in the city. Douma had been the target of bombing campaigns over four months in 2018, as Syrian Air Force forces intensified their aerial bombardment before launching a ground offensive. The last and deadliest, according to medics and rescue workers, occurred when a yellow industrial gas cylinder was reportedly dropped onto the balcony of a block of flats. The opposition's surrender came a day later. In September 2018, the UN Commission of Enquiry on Syria reported: "Throughout 7 April, numerous aerial attacks were carried out in Douma, striking various residential areas. A vast body of evidence collected by the Commission suggests that, at approximately 7.30 p.m., a gas cylinder containing a chlorine payload delivered by helicopter struck a multi-storey residential apartment building located approximately 100 metres south-west of Shohada square. The Commission received information on the death of at least 49 individuals and the wounding of up to 650 othersโฆ the Commission cannot make yet any conclusions concerning the exact causes of death, in particular on whether another agent was used in addition to chlorine that may have caused or contributed to deaths and injuries" Local rebels and civilians were sent into northern Syria in forced exile. Similar forced displacement deals have taken place all over Syria.
Geography Douma is the largest city located in the settlement slush in the Ghouta oasis that surrounds Damascus from the south and east. Around the city of Douma is the strategic M5 Highway connecting Damascus with the north of the country and across the Syrian Desert and also with Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Douma has a population of over 123,500 people. Douma also forms the centre of the wider Rif Dimashq Governorate which has a population of over 2,836,000 people.
To set up a UBI Lab for Douma see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork
Twin Towns - Sister Cities Douma has links with:
๐ท๐ธ Zemun, Serbia๐บ๐ธ Aliso Viejo 33.568
๐ฒ๐ฆ Sidi Belyout 33.583
๐บ๐ธ Newport Coast 33.583
๐บ๐ธ Carrollton 33.567
๐ธ๐พ As-Suwayda 36.567
Locations Near: Douma 36.4,33.5667
๐ธ๐พ Damascus 36.317,33.517 d: 9.5
๐ธ๐พ At Tall 36.3,33.6 d: 10
๐ธ๐พ Dฤrayyฤ 36.25,33.45 d: 19
๐ฑ๐ง Baalbek 36.221,34.003 d: 51.3
๐ฑ๐ง Zahlรฉ 35.917,33.833 d: 53.6
๐ธ๐พ Rif Dimashq 37,33.5 d: 56.1
๐ธ๐พ Izra 36.233,32.833 d: 83
๐ฑ๐ง Aley 35.6,33.8 d: 78.4
Antipodal to: Douma -143.6,-33.567
๐ต๐ซ Papeete -149.566,-17.537 d: 18136
๐ฆ๐ธ Pago Pago -170.701,-14.279 d: 16544
๐น๐ด Nuku'alofa -175.216,-21.136 d: 16618.3
๐ผ๐ธ Apia -171.76,-13.833 d: 16426.4
๐บ๐ธ Hilo -155.089,19.725 d: 13965.3
๐บ๐ธ Maui -156.446,20.72 d: 13826.9
๐บ๐ธ Kahului -156.466,20.891 d: 13807.9
๐บ๐ธ Wailuku -156.505,20.894 d: 13806.7
๐บ๐ธ Maui County -156.617,20.868 d: 13806.9