Atme (Arabic: اطمه, romanized: ‘Aṭma, also spelled Atma, Atima, Atmeh) is a town in northern Syria, administratively part of the Idlib Governorate, located north of Idlib and just east of the border with Turkey.[2] It lies southeast of Deir Ballut, south of Jindires, northwest of Qah and north of Sarmada and al-Dana. In the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics' 2004 census, it had a population of 2,255.[1]
Atme
اطمه | |
---|---|
Town | |
Atme | |
Coordinates: 36°18′40″N 36°41′11″E / 36.31111°N 36.68639°E | |
Country | Syria |
Governorate | Idlib |
District | Harem |
Subdistrict | Al-Dana |
Control | Syrian Salvation Government |
Population (2004 census)[1] | |
• Total | 2,255 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
The Olive Tree Camp is a refugee camp that emerged during the Syrian Civil War. According to Bianet about 80,000 people live in tents in the camp.[3] Since October 2013, internally displaced Syrians who failed to cross over to Turkey started settling between the olive trees. A new wave of refugees was triggered by the Syrian offensive in 2019.[4][5]
A 150-year-old oak tree in Atme was cut down by members of ISIL in November 2013. They accused the locals of venerating the tree instead of God.[6] The town is under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
ISIL leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi killed himself during a raid by US special forces on a house in Atme on 3 February 2022.[7] According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, thirteen other people, including seven civilians, died during the raid, which was noted by the media for its intensity.[8]
Many of the local residents were "shocked" about the presence of Quraishi in the town, including Quraishi's landlord, who was unaware that his tenant was the leader of ISIL.[9]
In February 2023 the town was hit by the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, leading to at least 11 deaths.