▁the ▁final ▁year ▁of ▁the ▁S ina i ▁and ▁Palest ine ▁Camp aign ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁authorities ▁fled ▁and ▁left ▁Dam asc us ▁in ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁a ▁committee ▁of ▁citizens . ▁The ▁newly ▁appointed ▁Ott oman ▁military ▁governor ▁released ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁prisoners ▁from ▁the ▁cit adel , ▁who ▁subsequently ▁started ▁pill aging ▁and ▁killing ▁sick ▁and ▁disabled ▁Ott oman ▁soldiers ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁left ▁behind ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁These ▁ri ots ▁only ▁stopped ▁with ▁the ▁entrance ▁into ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Light ▁Hor se ▁troops ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁ ▁French ▁military ▁forces ▁occupied ▁the ▁cit adel ▁during ▁the ▁French ▁Mand ate ▁period ▁in ▁Sy ria ▁( 1 9 2 0 – 1 9 4 6 ). ▁During ▁the ▁Great ▁Sy rian ▁Revol t ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁the ▁French ▁sh elled ▁Al - H ari qa , ▁the ▁area ▁immediately ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁cit adel — where ▁Sy rian ▁reb els ▁were ▁supposed ▁to ▁be ▁present — from ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁hills ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁cit adel ▁itself . ▁This ▁bomb ard ment ▁resulted ▁in ▁w ides p read ▁destruction . ▁After ▁the ▁French ▁Mand ate ▁period , ▁the ▁cit adel ▁continued ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁prison ▁and ▁bar ra cks ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁Rest oration ▁and ▁research ▁The ▁An cient ▁City ▁of ▁Dam asc us , ▁including ▁the