Homs: Capital of the Revolution (revision 15 Nov. 2011)

*Data on the number of protest days has been compiled from reports collated by 3 independent Syrian opposition activists between Sept 28 – Oct 28, 2011. They are based mainly on videos uploaded online by protesters on the ground, in addition to discussions with several expat and current residents of Homs.

**Hatched zones indicate locations of armoured vehicle incursion and shelling in at least 3 separate incidents during the 31 days studied. This does not factor in violence which may have been committed by other security forces such as shabiha, sniper or Free Syrian Army activity.

CITY OF PROTEST
This map is an attempt to depict the geography of the Syrian uprising by showing how protest and government violence have varied across the city.

While the degree of participation by different ethnic and religious groups is not entirely clear, some polarization between sects is evident. There has been strong support for the revolt in majority Sunni parts of the city such as Deir Ba’albeh, Bayada, Khaldiyeh and Baba Amro. These and other core areas have protested almost daily in the month studied, despite experiencing the most intensive crackdown by security forces.

Activists have reported a pattern of Christians protesting in neighboring Sunni areas with solidarity being shown particularly among the youth population. Meanwhile, immigrant, wealthier and Alawite dominated areas appear to have protested less or not at all.

Other factors influencing patterns of protest may be the history of each district’s settlement and character of urban streetscapes. Christian and Sunni communities, which have a long shared history in Homs, tend to be more integrated. Whereas Alawites — relative newcomers to the area — have largely settled in the modern southeastern parts. Commercial areas see fewer protests than residential areas. Finally, the presence of security bases, such as the one in Mahatta district, may have suppressed protests in that area.