Dahr-al-Ain


Dahr-al-Ain is a village in the Koura District of Lebanon, with a Maronite and Greek Orthodox population.
It attracted media attention in May 2010 when two brothers, Tony and Nayef Saleh, were shot by Hanna al-Bersawi on May 28, apparently for political reasons only days before the municipal polls.

History of demographic change

From recent subdivisions from larger parcels of land that was previously being used for olive harvesting, there have been numerous apartment buildings being built outside of the Dahr Al-Ain main village centre towards the Barsa side of the town. The new inhabitants are a mixture of Sunni Muslims, Eastern Orthodox and Maronites from within and the surrounding areas. The buyers and inhabitants of these 5-6 apartment blocks with 4 apartments in each are mostly from the Sunni sect of Islam who are now unable to afford higher rents and unable to purchase within the tripoli-Al Mina areas. This change in demographics has the ability to shift the demographics of some smaller villagers and towns found closest to the highway south of Tripoli into the Koura. It is estimated that Dahr Al-Ain has a total resident population of 500-700. With the 34 new families, each with the possibility of containing 4 persons per household, that equates to an increase of 96 persons to the village of varying religions as a result from one large piece of land being sold and further subdivided. It would only require a further 4-5 larger pieces of lands to be sold to developers to shift the demographics of the Maronite majority village to a Sunni majority village. With the increase of Sunni inhabitants into the area services pertaining to the new residents e.g. mosques and schools has the ability to increase sectarian tensions as Dahr Al-Ain does not have a mosque and the closest mosque would be situated 5–10 minutes away in Ras Masqa and one being constructed in Dedde. A similar change in demographics is also occurring but to a higher degree to areas surrounding Qalamoun and Tripoli within Ras Masqa, Dedde, Barsa, Dahr Al-Ain, Hret al Khalsa and Semriye. These areas are accessible within ease to and from Tripoli by a newly asphalted highway that travels to the south from Tripoli through Bahsas and towards Kousba.