The Syrian Civil Defense Agency's "Enhancing Community Resilience" program launched a rubble removal project in the city of Maarat al-Numan in the Idlib countryside. This is a new step toward supporting recovery and restoring life to affected areas, in coordination with the region's administration and Idlib Governorate.
Maarat al-Numan, the second largest city in Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria, suffered severe destruction due to systematic bombing by the Assad regime and its allies during the past years of war. After they took control of the city between 2019 and 2024, private and public buildings were systematically vandalized, like other vital cities in the Syrian governorates.
Among the most important medical facilities destroyed was the National Hospital in Maarat al-Numan, which has been out of service since 2020. The Assad regime and its allies not only destroyed the city, but also displaced residents from their homes and neighborhoods.
The White Helmets stated in a report on their website that the project, which extends over nine months in all phases, from March to October 2025, includes dividing the city into 11 residential sectors. The amount of rubble to be removed is estimated at approximately 70,000 cubic meters, distributed as follows: approximately 20,000 cubic meters of rubble between residential neighborhoods; approximately 10,000 cubic meters of rubble from demolished public buildings, including the municipal garage (3,500 m³), Al-Khansa School (4,000 m³), and the former State Security building (2,500 m³).
The project also includes the removal of approximately 40,000 cubic meters of rubble from completely or partially destroyed private buildings, which require legal approval from property owners before work can begin.
Ghost Town
Maarat al-Numan enjoys a strategic location on the M5 highway, which connects Aleppo, the economic capital and second-largest city in the country (northwest), with the capital, Damascus. It is one of the largest population centers in the southern Idlib countryside and holds significant historical and cultural significance. It is home to the Khan Murad Pasha Museum, one of the most famous mosaic museums in the world.
The city, which had a population of approximately 100,000, was once home to tens of thousands of people. Years of war have devastated it, turning it into a ghost town and a symbol of Syria's devastation.
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