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Aoun, Michel Naim

(Encyclopedia)Aoun, Michel Naïm, 1935–, Lebanese military and political leader. A graduate of Lebanon's military academy (1958), he fought in several major battles during the civil war (1975–90), rising to the...

Mohave, river and desert, United States

(Encyclopedia)Mohave, river and desert: see Mojave. ...

Assad, Hafez al-

(Encyclopedia)Assad, Hafez al- äl-äsˈsäd [key], 1930–2000, president of Syria (1971–2000). He graduated (1955) from the Syrian Military Academy and advanced through the army ranks to become a general. He s...

Syria

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Syria sērˈēə [key], officially Syrian Arab Republic, republic (2015 est. pop. 18,735,000), 71,467 sq mi (185,100 sq km), W Asia. It borders on Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea in the west,...

Euphrates

(Encyclopedia)Euphrates yo͞ofrāˈtēz [key], Turkish Frat, Arabic Al Furat, river of SW Asia, c.1,700 mi (2,740 km) long, formed by the confluence of the Kara and the Murad rivers, E central Turkey, and flowing g...

Ephraem, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Ephraem, Saint ēˈfrāˌəm [key], a.d. 308?–373, Syrian theologian, Doctor of the Church. He taught at Nisibis and Edessa and composed biblical exegeses (now almost all lost) and numerous sacred v...

Adunis

(Encyclopedia)Adunis: see Adonis, Syrian poet. ...

Naaman

(Encyclopedia)Naaman nāˈəmən [key]. In the Bible, Syrian captain whom Elisha cured miraculously of leprosy. ...

Shobach

(Encyclopedia)Shobach shōˈbăk [key], in the Bible, Syrian general defeated by David. An alternate form is Shophach. ...

Kara Kum

(Encyclopedia)Kara Kum kärˌə ko͝omˈ [key], two deserts, one in Kazakhstan and one in Turkmenistan. The Caspian Kara Kum or Garagum, the larger desert (c.115,000 sq mi/297,900 sq km), is W of the Amu Darya Rive...