Reports | 25 05 2020
The town "Jarablos" is located in the far north of Syria, 125 km northeast of Aleppo, and is considered to be the first city on the Euphrates River coming from Turkey. The city topped the news headlines recently, after the start of the operation " the Euphrates’ shield" against ISIS, by the Syrian opposition factions, supported by the Turkish military, and they were able to control it.
The artist "Abdel-Latif Aljimo" said to Rozana that his city Jarablos, characterized by "not only the beauty of nature, but also by the multiple sects and ethnicities, mix nationalities, Arab, Armenians, Turkmen and Kurds, and the co-existence dominated between all the components there."
In March 2011, with the start of the Syrian revolution and the outbreak of protests against the Syrian regime, a group of activists founded a group called "Jarablos Free", and its work was limited on the media, and transferring the events occurred in the city, and in July 2012, it was controlled by the Syrian opposition factions after battles with the Syrian regime forces, and in May 2014, ISIS managed to control the city.
"Aljimo" added: "During the Syrian revolution, the city Jarablos was famous for being the city of the dissident Colonel Yousef Jader (Abu Furat), but its news was disappeared later, often because of its important strategic location, where Euphrates river protects it from the east."
"Aljimo" excludes any clashes between the components of the city, after the recent military developments, especially since "there are marriages between nationalities and different sects, Armenians are there 30 years ago, and it seems also clear in the musical heritage of the city in which is mixed between Arab, Kurdish, Armenian and Turkish language, especially that its proximity to the border, make it affected by the Turkish character. "he says.
And about the impact of Jarablos on his paintings, "Abdel-Latif" continues saying: "the city has a clear imprint in my drawings, I was very impressed by its nature before the revolution, especially since I lived near the Euphrates River and I spent so much time on its banks, but now, it is really linked to the black color, death, and violence, and I missed its bright. He added: "now there is hope after the departure of ISIS, to come back to its true colors."