Harim Mountains


Ḥārim Mountains are highlands in the north of Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria. The mountains are located in the Ḥārim and Jisr Shuġūr districts of Idlib Governorate.

Location and description

Ḥārim highlands are located between 36◦22′–36◦40′ E and 35◦46′–36◦14′ N on the westernmost part of the Aleppo plateau. They cover about 600 km². The Orontes river valley forms the western boundary. The Rouge Plain is located to the south. The Rouge Plain and the northern Idlib plain run along the eastern boundary. The Dāna plain separates Ḥārim mountains from Mount Simeon to the northwest. The valley of River ʻIfrīn and Lake ʻAmīq surround Ḥārim mountains from north.
The mountains include three masses. Mount Ḥalqa and Mount Bārīshā form the first mass from the east. Mount Ḥalqa refers to low rocky plateaus that surround the Dāna plain. Mount Bārīshā, which lies west of Ḥalqa, covers about 230 km² and averages 500–600 m in elevation; the highest point is 657 m.
The second mass is Mount Aʻlā . This mountain is separated from Mount Bārīshā by the Shalf plain. The highest point in Mount Aʻlā reaches 819 m. This mountain has a Druze population.
The third mountain is Mount Wasṭānī. This mountain extends for 40 km from Salqīn in the north between the Orontes valley and the Rouge Plain. The mountain includes two masses; the northern mass is sometimes considered a separate mountain called Mount Dwēli. The highest point in Mount Wasṭānī is Mount Ḥanash .
Olive and oak trees are abundant on Ḥārim mountains. The mountains also have numerous archaeological sites.
After Jabal al-Arba'een was subjected to bombardment by the coalition in 2014, foreign fighters fled to Jabal al-Summaq. Homes of the Druze religious minority of Jabal al-Summaq's Kuku village were forcibly stolen and attacked by Turkistan Islamic Party Uyghurs and Uzbeks. Osama al-Homsi became commander for Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham's in Jabal al-Summaq.