Khan Shaykhun is a small town located in the Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria. It lies along the M5 highway, a major north-south route connecting the cities of Aleppo and Damascus. The town is situated on the western bank of the Orontes River, near the border with Turkey. Khan Shaykhun has a long and rich history, with evidence of human settlement dating back to the Bronze Age.
The town was first mentioned in written records during the 8th century CE, when it was part of the Umayyad Caliphate. During the 10th century, the town was part of the Hamdanid Dynasty, a powerful Shia dynasty that ruled much of Syria and Iraq. In the 11th century, the town was captured by the Seljuk Turks, who then sold it to the Mamluks in 1260. The Mamluks ruled Khan Shaykhun until 1516, when it was captured by the Ottoman Empire.
Khan Shaykhun was an important trading post for the Ottomans, and the town prospered under their rule. During the 19th century, the town was home to a large Armenian population, many of whom were refugees from the Armenian Genocide. The town also became a center of textile production, and its population expanded rapidly.
In the early 20th century, Khan Shaykhun was a part of the French Mandate of Syria. During this period, the town was the site of a major battle between French forces and the Syrian National Army in 1925. After the French withdrew in 1946, the town was incorporated into the newly-created Syrian Arab Republic.
The town suffered greatly during the Syrian Civil War, as it was the site of numerous battles between the Syrian Army and rebel forces. In April 2017, Khan Shaykhun was the site of a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of people. Since then, the town has seen a gradual return to normality, and the population has slowly begun to rebuild their lives.
Today, Khan Shaykhun is a small but vibrant town, with a population of around 25,000 people. The town is home to a diverse mix of ethnic and religious communities, including Arabs, Kurds, Armenians, and Turkmens. Despite its turbulent past, the town is slowly rebuilding, and its citizens are determined to create a better future for themselves and their children.