Al-Rafid, Lebanon

This article is about the Lebanese town. For other uses, see Rafid (disambiguation).

Al-Rafid (Arabic: الرفيد) is a village in the Rashaya District, in the southeastern area of the Beqaa Governorate in Lebanon. Its population is estimated to be 3,000. Its inhabitants are predominantly Sunni Muslims.^[1] The village has two mosques, two schools, two pharmacies, and a telecommunications facility.

Al-Rafid الرفيد Al-Rafeed
View of the northeastern part of al-Rafid
Al-Rafid Location in Lebanon
Coordinates: 33°34′16″N 35°49′1″E
Lebanon	Lebanon
Governorate	Beqaa
District	Rashaya
Population
• Total	3,000

Geography

The oldest part of the village lies halfway up Mount Baaloul (Jabal Baaloul) on the eastern slope. It is widely accepted by the inhabitants of the town that the town was originally located on the top of the mountain but was re-located after a civil strife had subsided over 400 years ago. Neighboring localities include Bire, Mhaydseh, Kherbet Rouha, and Mdoukha. The town is located about 80 km (50 mi) from Beirut and 40 km (25 mi) from Damascus, Syria.

History

In 1838, Eli Smith noted Al-Rafid,'s population as being predominantly Sunni Muslim.^[2]

The village was occupied first by PLO forces in the late 1970s Inhabited by the PFLP , then by Israeli forces in the early 1980s.^{[citation needed]}At least two people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes on the settlement, one of 30 September 2024 and the other on 5 October 2024.^[3][4][5]