Nehad Qalei

Born as Nehad Al-Kharboutli Al-Qalei in the Lebanese city of Zahlé to a Syrian-Kurdish family. His father worked in the Telegraph and Postal Service there. In the 1930s, they moved to Damascus, living first on Shura Avenue in the Al-Muhajreen area.^[1]

In 1976, Qalei was tragically paralyzed in an attack, which eventually led to his death in 1993. After being hit by a chair over his head in Old Damascus, he was paralyzed and then died a slow death. It is said that the person who beat him was one of the members of the Defense Brigades, which was founded by Rifaat al-Assad. Duraid Lahham and Qalei were staying up late at the Family Club restaurant in the Bab Touma before being hit.^[2]