Khan Shaykhun خَان شَيْخُون | |
|---|---|
Town | |
  Khan Shaykhun Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates:35°26′20″N36°39′4″E / 35.43889°N 36.65111°E /35.43889; 36.65111 | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Idlib |
| District | Maarrat al-Nu'man |
| Subdistrict | Khan Shaykhun |
| Control | Syrian opposition |
| First settled | 20th century BC |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Abdul Karim Najjar[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 202.98 km2 (78.37 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 350 m (1,150 ft) |
| Population (2004) | |
• Total | 50,469 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (EEST) |
| Climate | BSk |
Khan Shaykhun (Arabic:خَان شَيْخُون,romanized: Khān Shaykhūn) is a town in theMaarrat al-Nu'man District, within the southernIdlib Governorate of northwestern Syria.
Khan Shaykhun is located at an altitude of 350 meters on the main highway betweenAleppo andDamascus. The local economy is primarily agricultural, focusing on the growing of cotton and cereals.[2] The town was formerly known for producingembroidery.[3] Nearby localities includeHbit to the west,Kafr Zita to southwest,Murak to the south andAl-Tamanah to the east.
The city was first settled in the 20th century BC during the Bronze and Iron Ages and had multiple civilisations, of which at least 4 are confirmed through excavations done by the French in 1932. The ancient civilisations range fromAssyria Empire,Neo-Babylonian Empire,Achaemenid Empire to other, older empires.[4][5] In the 2010 census, the population was recorded at 50,469.[6] During theSyrian Civil War, this number doubled due to the waves of refugees the city experienced. However, many of its original inhabitants, as well as the refugees, left the city as a result of the intense bombardments it was subjected to.[7]
Khan Shaykhun takes its name from a 14th-centurykhan orcaravanserai built by theMamlukemir Sayf al-Din Shaykhu al-'Umari.[8][9] The town grew up around the khan and is situated below a prominenttell, where excavations carried out in 1930 under the French Comte du Mesnil du Buisson revealed evidence of habitation dating back to the 20th century BC.[2][10] The tell, which measures about 200–250 m long by 18–24 m high, was levelled off in the Bronze and Iron Ages to provide a platform for a series of walled towns built successively on top of each other. The second of these, dating to about 700 BC, has been identified as theAssyrian town of Ashkhani. The site was abandoned around 300 BC.[5]
In more recent times, Khan Shaykhun was noted for itsbeehive houses, an architectural style found across the Levant and probably exported from there to North Africa.[11]
The city of Khan Shaykhun is part of theMaarat al-Numan district in the southern countryside ofIdlib and is administratively linked to theIdlib Governorate in northwestern Syria. It is located 35 kilometers fromHama, 100 kilometers fromAleppo, and 70 kilometers fromIdlib.
The city holds strategic importance, as it serves as a connection between the northern countryside of Hama and the southern countryside of Idlib. Additionally, it is situated on the international highway that connectsAleppo withDamascus.[7]
The climate of Khan Shaykhun is warm and temperate. Rainfall occurs mainly in winter, with relatively little precipitation in the summer. The average annual temperature is 17.6 °C, and the yearly rainfall averages 379 mm. The residents of Khan Shaykhun primarily rely on trade and agriculture for their livelihood. The city has commerce in automobiles and grain, and crops such as olives, pistachios, wheat, and potatoes are cultivated.[7]
Volleyball is the most popular sport in Khan Shaykhun. The city's volleyball club has achieved excellent rankings and competes in the top league. In 2007, it placed third in Syria. The city also has a football club that secured promotion to theSyrian Premier League for the first time ever in 2025.[7][12]
Khan Shaykhun is distinguished by a strong family structure, which includes notable families such as Al-Najm, Al-Dyoub, Al-Halawa, Abed, Biserini, Al-Kutaini, Al-Mawas, Al-Youssef, Al-Sarmani, Al-Sawadi, and Al-Khattab. The city is also known as the birthplace of the poet and scholarAbu al-Huda al-Sayyadi.
Over the years, Khan Shaykhun has produced many prominent figures, including politicians, intellectuals, and significant individuals in the fields of science, administration, and the military. Former mayor Majed Abdulkader Al Kutaini, who was born in the city in 1917, studied there and in the city of Hama. He held the position of mayor from 1950 to 1975. During his tenure, he played a vital role in the organization and management of the city. He was known for his humility, his love for the city's residents, and his constant willingness to help.[7]
The current atmospheric condition in Khan Shaykhun is recognised as a regional steppe climate. There is not much rainfall in Khan Shaykhun all year long. The climate is classified as BSh according to Köppen and Geiger.
| Climate data for Khan Shaykhun | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 12.4 (54.4) | 14.5 (58.1) | 18.6 (65.4) | 23.1 (73.5) | 28.0 (82.5) | 32.3 (90.1) | 34.9 (94.9) | 35.3 (95.5) | 32.4 (90.3) | 27.4 (81.3) | 19.9 (67.8) | 14.0 (57.2) | 25.65 (78.17) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 7.4 (45.3) | 9.1 (48.4) | 12.6 (54.7) | 16.7 (62.1) | 21.3 (70.3) | 25.2 (77.4) | 27.7 (81.8) | 27.9 (82.2) | 25.2 (77.3) | 20.8 (69.5) | 13.9 (57.1) | 8.8 (47.9) | 19.63 (67.34) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.3) | 4.3 (39.7) | 6.9 (44.5) | 10.4 (50.8) | 14.3 (57.8) | 18.1 (64.6) | 20.7 (69.2) | 21.2 (70.2) | 18.7 (65.7) | 15.1 (59.1) | 8.9 (48.0) | 4.5 (40.1) | 12.81 (55.06) |
| Averageprecipitation cm (inches) | 52 (2) | 44 (1) | 33 (1) | 20 (0) | 14 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (0) | 12 (0) | 26 (1) | 45 (1) | 249 (6) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 76 | 71 | 63 | 57 | 52 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 58 | 71 | 59 |
| Source: Climate-Data.org[13] | |||||||||||||
During theSyrian Civil War, the town initially fell under control of theSyrian opposition, and later, in 2014 fell toJabhat al-Nusra.[14] In 2017,Deutsche Welle reported: "Idlib province, where Khan Sheikhun is located, is mostly controlled by theTahrir al-Sham alliance, which is dominated by the Fateh al-Sham Front, formerly known as theal-Qaeda-affiliatedal-Nusra Front."[15]
On 4 April 2017, the town came undera heavy air attack, usingchemical weapons.[16] 92 people were killed and several hundred injured.[17][18][19][20] After a few months of relative calm, the town was bombed again in September 2017 byRussian jets.[21] Jets believed to belong to theRussian Air Force destroyed the town's power plant, which feeds northernHama and southern Idlib.[22] The al-Rahma clinic was also struck.[23]
On 27 February 2018, pro-government media reported that Tahrir al-Sham withdrew from the city of Khan Shaykhun, and was expelled from western Aleppo by other rebel groups.[24] In mid-April 2018, pro-opposition media reported that Tahrir al-Sham once again seized the town, which had been devoid of rebel military presence.[25] In August 2018, the town again came under aerial bombardment by pro-government forces.[26][27] By 2019, almost all of the town's residents had abandoned it.[28]
On 19 August 2019, the Syrian Army was reported to have taken control of the city's eastern and northern districts.[29] The next day, theSyrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that rebel and Islamic factions and jihadi groups withdrew from Khan Shaykhun completely.[30] On 21 August 2019, the Syrian Army fully secured the town after capturing the strategic hill ofTell al-Tara andAl-Khazanat Camp in southern Idlib.[31][32]
On 29 November 2024, the city was recaptured byTahrir al-Sham.[33]
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