Markada (Arabic: مَرْكَدَة, sometimes Markadah or Margada) is a town in southern al-Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria. It is the administrative center of the Nahiya Markada consisting of 13 municipalities. In the 2004 census, Markada had a population of 2,530.[1]
Markada
مَرْكَدَة | |
---|---|
Town | |
Markada Location of Markada in Syria | |
Coordinates: 35°45′32″N 40°46′09″E / 35.7589°N 40.7692°E | |
Country | Syria |
Governorate | al-Hasakah |
District | al-Hasakah |
Subdistrict | Markada |
Control | Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria |
Population (2004)[1] | 2,530 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Geocode | C4454 |
The town is divided by the Khabur River.
Markada succeeded the village of "Makîsîn" (also spelled "Makasîn", "Maykasan" or "Makîs").[2] During early Islamic rule (7th–10th centuries), Makisin was a town in the district of Diyar Rabi'a with a bridge that crossed the Khabur River.[3] Large quantities of cotton were grown around the site.[3] In the late 680s, numerous Christian Taghlib tribesmen were killed in an ambush at Makisin by the Sulaym tribe as part of the long-running Qays–Yaman feud.[4]
Obadiah the Proselyte visited Makisin in the 12th century and found there a Jewish community and synagogue, which then housed the Codex Sassoon.[5]
Markada saw fighting between the Syrian Government forces and the al-Nusra Front during 2013.[6][7] Having gained control of the town, the al-Nusra Front were driven out the following year by Islamic State in the Battle of Markada. By March 2014 thousands of residents had fled from Markada, many to al-Sur in Deir ez-Zor Governorate.[8]
US-led Coalition airstrikes against ISIL targeted the town in September 2017, with many casualties, including Iraqi refugees, reported.[9] On 19 October, the SDF attacked the town, capturing part of it.[10][11] The town was fully captured by the SDF on 9 November 2017.