▁that ▁year , ▁the ▁citizens ▁of ▁Dam asc us ▁and ▁the ▁local ▁g arrison ▁of ▁Jan iss aries ▁revol ted ▁against ▁governor ▁Me h med ▁Sel im ▁P asha , ▁who ▁took ▁refuge ▁in ▁the ▁cit adel . ▁He ▁was ▁promised ▁safe ▁passage ▁after ▁a ▁sie ge ▁last ing ▁ 4 0 ▁days ▁but ▁was ▁murder ed ▁before ▁he ▁could ▁leave ▁the ▁city . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁Christian ▁refuge es ▁from ▁the ▁Dru ze - M aron ite ▁conflict ▁in ▁Leb anon ▁sp illed ▁into ▁Dam asc us , ▁resulting ▁in ▁t ensions ▁with ▁the ▁Muslim ▁population . ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁mass acre ▁of ▁the ▁Christian ▁population , ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁sought ▁refuge ▁in ▁the ▁cit adel ▁and ▁eventually ▁fled ▁the ▁city ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁the ▁Al ger ian – D am asc ene ▁notable ▁Abd ▁al - Q ad ir ▁al - J aza ' iri . ▁Descri ptions ▁and ▁photograph s ▁of ▁the ▁cit adel ▁by ▁nin ete enth - century ▁European ▁trav ellers ▁indicate ▁that ▁the ▁def ences ▁remained ▁in ▁relatively ▁good ▁shape ▁until ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁but ▁that ▁the ▁structures ▁inside ▁the ▁walls ▁were ▁reduced ▁to ▁complete ▁ru ins . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁substantial ▁damage ▁was ▁done ▁to ▁the ▁cit adel ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁quar ried ▁for ▁stone ▁to ▁build ▁bar ra cks . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁Mand ate ▁period ▁When ▁the ▁British ▁and ▁Arab ▁forces ▁march ed ▁on ▁Dam asc us ▁in