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Catacombs: A Youth Initiative to Invigorate Domestic Tourism

A tour of the pyramids organized by the Catacombs team
A tour of the pyramids organized by the Catacombs team
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Catacombs: A Youth Initiative to Invigorate Domestic Tourism

A tour of the pyramids organized by the Catacombs team
A tour of the pyramids organized by the Catacombs team

Sherif Hashem, Hossam Zaidan, Mustafa Hazin, Ibrahim Mohamed, Ahmed Bahgat are Egypt’s new “adventurous five,” but they are not protagonists of a short story. They are founding members of the archaeological Catacombs initiative. Together raise their motto, “We open the doors of history,” which reflects their aim of raising archaeological awareness among Egyptians and invigorating domestic tourism.

Brought together by their shared enthusiasm for Egypt’s ancient heritage, they established the group just four months ago, when the five youths met at the opening of the Baron Empain Palace in Cairo. They organize tours, each of which is unique, that provide those who join them with the opportunity to discover the various facets of ancient sites, historical, archeological, artistic, and architectural. Their passion for archeology and history and their desire to raise awareness among Egyptians also compelled them to launch a Facebook page, Catacombs, to serve as a platform to share that passion with their compatriots and shed light on the country’s many precious sites and monuments.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat about the initiative, Hussam Zaidan, a member of the team, explained the rationale that drove them to join forces. “When I give a tour, I explain the sites’ archaeological and architectural significance. But I lack a historical background, so my explanation is incomplete. So, with our various specializations, historical, archeological, and civilizational, we complement one another, especially as we are planning to work professionally and on a large scale, which requires more precise information and a more in-depth explanation.

Another team member, Mustafa Hazin, continues the conversation. Discussing their various and distinctive initiatives, he says: “We saw that five minds coming together would allow us to enrich the content of our work. We have also launched novel activities. For example, we uploaded a live broadcast in which five individuals discuss a single site, allowing our audience to follow historical, archaeological discussions on Facebook. Such work has been well received by our followers and helped fuel our launch.”

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Hezbollah’s ‘Statelet’ in Syria’s Qusayr Under Israeli Fire

Smoke billows from al-Qusayr in western Syria following an attack. (SANA)
Smoke billows from al-Qusayr in western Syria following an attack. (SANA)
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Hezbollah’s ‘Statelet’ in Syria’s Qusayr Under Israeli Fire

Smoke billows from al-Qusayr in western Syria following an attack. (SANA)
Smoke billows from al-Qusayr in western Syria following an attack. (SANA)

Israel has expanded its strikes against Hezbollah in Syria by targeting the al-Qusayr region in Homs.

Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September and has in the process struck legal and illegal borders between Lebanon and Syria that are used to smuggle weapons to the Iran-backed party. Now, it has expanded its operations to areas of Hezbollah influence inside Syria itself.

Qusayr is located around 20 kms from the Lebanese border. Israeli strikes have destroyed several bridges in the area, including one stretching over the Assi River that is a vital connection between Qusayr and several towns in Homs’ eastern and western countrysides.

Israel has also hit main and side roads and Syrian regime checkpoints in the area.

The Israeli army announced that the latest attacks targeted roads that connect the Syrian side of the border to Lebanon and that are used to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah.

Qusayr is strategic position for Hezbollah. The Iran-backed party joined the fight alongside the Syrian regime against opposition factions in the early years of the Syrian conflict, which began in 2011. Hezbollah confirmed its involvement in Syria in 2013.

Hezbollah waged its earliest battles in Syria against the “Free Syrian Army” in Qusayr. After two months of fighting, the party captured the region in mid-June 2013. By then, it was completely destroyed and its population fled to Lebanon.

A source from the Syrian opposition said Hezbollah has turned Qusayr and its countryside to its own “statelet”.

It is now the backbone of its military power and the party has the final say in the area even though regime forces are deployed there, it told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Qusayr is critical for Hezbollah because of its close proximity to the Lebanese border,” it added.

Several of Qusayr’s residents have since returned to their homes. But the source clarified that only regime loyalists and people whom Hezbollah “approves” of have returned.

The region has become militarized by Hezbollah. It houses training centers for the party and Shiite militias loyal to Iran whose fighters are trained by Hezbollah, continued the source.

Since Israel intensified its attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the party moved the majority of its fighters to Qusayr, where the party also stores large amounts of its weapons, it went on to say.

In 2016, Shiite Hezbollah staged a large military parade at the al-Dabaa airport in Qusayr that was seen as a message to the displaced residents, who are predominantly Sunni, that their return home will be impossible, stressed the source.

Even though the regime has deployed its forces in Qusayr, Hezbollah ultimately holds the greatest sway in the area.

Qusayr is therefore of paramount importance to Hezbollah, which will be in no way willing to cede control of.

Lebanese military expert Brig. Gen Saeed Al-Qazah told Asharq Al-Awsat that Qusayr is a “fundamental logistic position for Hezbollah.”

He explained that it is where the party builds its rockets and drones that are delivered from Iran. It is also where the party builds the launchpads for firing its Katyusha and grad rockets.

Qazah added that Qusayr is also significant for its proximity to Lebanon’s al-Hermel city and northeastern Bekaa region where Hezbollah enjoys popular support and where its arms deliveries pass through on their way to the South.

Qazah noted that Israel has not limited its strikes in Qusayr to bridges and main and side roads, but it has also hit trucks headed to Lebanon, stressing that Israel has its eyes focused deep inside Syria, not just the border.