Aleppo Governor, Azzam Gharib, commented on the widely debated scenes showing the relocation of the statue from “Saadallah Al-Jabiri Square,” describing the incident as “unacceptable” and assuring that those responsible will be held accountable according to proper procedures.
Gharib stated on the “X” platform today, Thursday, July 3, that he followed with regret the footage showing a clear failure in the process of moving the sculpture, which was previously called the “Martyrs’ Statue” during the former regime.
He added that the relocation was carried out by a party that did not adhere to the technical and structural standards that were emphasized beforehand, stressing that full responsibility will be assigned to the executing party, with immediate accountability measures underway.
The governor explained that the decision to move the sculpture to the National Museum in Aleppo was part of an urban development plan presented by the Aleppo City Council in coordination with the Directorate of Antiquities. The plan aims to rehabilitate Saadallah Al-Jabiri Square and transform it into an open cultural space for public events.
He pointed out that the plan came after receiving requests from some city residents to remove the statue, due to its association with a painful period in Aleppo’s history during the 1980s, and the related events and practices linked to the former regime.
Despite the differing opinions regarding the symbolism of the sculpture, it was agreed at the time to carry out the relocation safely and under the supervision of specialists, to preserve any documentary or artistic value it may hold.
Gharib emphasized that “there is no truth to rumors of ideological motives behind the decision,” describing the relocation as an “administrative step” based on field data and community opinions, rather than political motives.
He pledged to instruct the relevant authorities to restore the damaged parts of the sculpture in preparation for its preservation in the museum, while announcing the launch of an art competition to select a new sculpture design that symbolizes the city’s memory and the sacrifices of its people.
Commitment to Accountability
Meanwhile, the Aleppo City Council confirmed in a statement published on Facebook that the decision to move the “Martyrs’ Statue” from Saadallah Al-Jabiri Square coincided with the launch of the visual identity of the Syrian Arab Republic, displayed on the large screen installed in the square.
The council clarified in the statement that the statue was obstructing the view of the screen, which led to its relocation in coordination with the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums as part of the square’s rehabilitation project to transform it into a center for popular and cultural events.
The statement also noted that the second part of the statue was damaged during the dismantling process, assuring that restoration work is ongoing to repair the damaged piece.
The Aleppo City Council emphasized that “those responsible will be held accountable according to proper procedures,” without naming any specific party or official directly responsible for the incident.
The “Martyrs’ Statue” in Saadallah Al-Jabiri Square was damaged during its dismantling as part of the square’s rehabilitation project, which sparked widespread criticism and skepticism toward the official narrative claiming the statue was to be “moved and preserved.”
Footage circulated by activists on social media around midnight on July 2 showed the use of rudimentary equipment during the dismantling, which led to the breaking of parts of the statue.
Following the controversy, the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums in Aleppo issued a statement saying it had moved the “Martyrs’ Statue” from Saadallah Al-Jabiri Square to “another location to preserve it and its artistic value,” and that restoration and maintenance by technical specialists would follow.
The statement added that the move was part of the square’s rehabilitation plan, aiming to make it “suitable and prepared for hosting popular events and activities,” noting that the statue was obstructing the view of the main screen recently installed in the square.
An Ideological Dimension
However, these statements did not dispel questions raised about why the removal was carried out late at night and why there was no official documentation of the relocation or restoration process.
Residents criticized how the operation was conducted, considering it outside the usual technical procedures and closer to a deliberate erasure of a visual and emotional symbol in Aleppo’s collective memory.
Amid the controversy, a video circulated showing an unidentified man standing before the damaged statue saying, “This idol will be removed so that only God is worshiped.”
Although this statement does not reflect an official position, it highlighted a possible ideological motive behind some attitudes toward statues in public spaces, especially amid the rise of groups with religious backgrounds in some local administrations after the fall of the former regime.
Symbolism of Struggle
The “Martyrs’ Statue,” created in the 1980s, was made by Aleppo sculptor Abdul Rahman Moqat, according to local artistic sources.
Enab Baladi contacted Munir Al-Qasqas, director of the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums in Aleppo, who denied that the statue was dedicated to commemorating “martyrs of the French colonial resistance,” as some circulating narratives suggest, without providing further details on the actual motive behind its construction.
Local circles circulate a narrative that the statue was commissioned by former president Hafez al-Assad to commemorate members of the Syrian army killed during clashes with the Muslim Brotherhood organization in Aleppo in the early 1980s, during a military campaign in the city.
To understand the statue’s background, Enab Baladi also contacted Aleppo sculptor Ibrahim Dawood, who explained that the monument was made in 1984 by artist Abdul Rahman Moqat to represent “martyrs of the French colonial era before independence,” as he put it.
Dawood indicated that the statue symbolized the struggle of historical figures like Ibrahim Hananu and Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, considering it inaccurate to assign contemporary political meanings to the monument since its main purpose was to revive the idea of “popular struggle” and nothing more.
Artistically, Dawood noted that the statue is not classified as heritage or archaeological art and does not possess exceptional artistic value.
The dismantling was part of a rehabilitation project for Saadallah Al-Jabiri Square carried out by the Syrian-Turkish company “STH,” aiming to modernize infrastructure, expand sidewalks, develop the central fountain, and create an events platform of about 200 square meters, according to Enab Baladi.
Earlier in March, controversy arose after leaked preliminary project designs did not include the statue. Although the company denied a final decision at the time, the current dismantling reignited the debate.
Aleppo: Urban Development or Ideology Behind the Removal of the “Martyrs’ Statue”? Enab Baladi.
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