Jebel Bishri is associated with the
Amorites and was known as the "mountain of the Amorites" (
ba-sa-ar šá-dú-ì ki) in Akkadian sources. The Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands, Syria (ACSAD), headquartered in
Damascus, developed a plan to be implemented from 1994 to 2006 to stop
desertification in the region of Jebel Bishri. The scheme included planting certain kinds of trees such as
Pistacia atlantica and
Prunus.
Syrian Civil War The
SAA was able to retake Jebel Bishri from the Islamic State on 31 August 2017. On 25 April 2022, as part of
Islamic State's 'Vengeance for two Sheikhs' campaign, three
Pro-Assad soldiers were killed in clashes with Islamic State fighters in the area. Following the clashes, Russian
warplanes reportedly carried out at least 20 airstrikes against Islamic State targets in the nearby deserts, causing an unknown number of casualties. On 20 June 2022, clashes erupted in the area between Islamic State militants and forces of the Syrian military. Over the course of three days, at least 26 Syrian soldiers and 7 IS fighters were killed. On 3 March 2024, during SAA combing operations, eight
NDF militiamen were found shot dead after being executed by ISIS militants on the outskirts of the area. The group had been missing since 21 February. ==Notes==