Khitab

{{Confusion|Kitab (disambiguation){{!}}Kitab}}

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Khitab

| native_name = خطاب

| other_name = {{lower|0.2em|Khutab
Khattab}}

| settlement_type = Town

| image_skyline = بلدة خطاب (60).jpg

| imagesize = 250px

| image_caption =

| image_flag =

| image_seal =

| image_shield =

| nickname =

| motto =

| image_map =

| map_caption =

| pushpin_map = Syria

| pushpin_label_position = bottom

| pushpin_mapsize = 250

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Syria

| coordinates = {{coord|35|11|51|N|36|40|2|E|region:SY|display=inline}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg}} Syria

| subdivision_type1 = Governorate

| subdivision_name1 = Hama

| subdivision_type2 = District

| subdivision_name2 = Hama

| subdivision_type3 = Subdistrict

| subdivision_name3 = Hama

|parts_type = Control

|parts_style = para

| p1 = {{flagicon image|Flag_of_the_Syrian_Salvation_Government.svg}} Syrian Salvation Government{{cite news |title=3 km to reach Hama city.. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham surrounds Hama city from 3 sides and cuts off roads with the city |url=https://www.syriahr.com/3-%d9%83%d9%8a%d9%84%d9%88%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%b1-%d9%84%d9%84%d9%88%d8%b5%d9%88%d9%84-%d8%a5%d9%84%d9%89-%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%ad%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%a9-%d9%87%d9%8a%d9%80-%d9%80%d8%a6%d8%a9/739232/ |access-date=4 December 2024 |publisher=SOHR |date=4 December 2024 |language=Arabic}}

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 10,830

| population_as_of = 2004

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_note =

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| module = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=12 |height=250 |stroke-width=2 | {{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}

}}

Khattab ({{langx|ar|خطاب}}, also spelled Khutab or Khattab) is a town in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Hama Governorate, northwest of Hama located near the Orontes River River. Nearby localities include Qamhana to the east, Shihat Hama to the southeast, Kafr al-Tun to the southwest, al-Majdal to the west, Mhardeh and Halfaya to the northwest and Taybat al-Imam to the northeast. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Khitab had a population of 10,830 in the 2004 census.[https://archive.today/20120723204435/http://www.cbssyr.org/new%20web%20site/General_census/census_2004/NH/TAB05-1-2004.htm General Census of Population and Housing 2004]. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Hama Governorate. {{in lang|ar}} Its inhabitants are predominantly Sunni Muslims.{{cite news|title=Syria rebels rampage through Sunni village, killing 1|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/syria-rebels-rampage-through-sunni-village-killing-14/|agency=Associated Press|publisher=CBS News|date=2014-07-09}}

In late 1829, during the Ottoman era, Khitab was part of the Hama Sanjak. It consisted of 55 feddans and paid 5,610 qirsh in taxes to the treasury.{{sfn|Douwes|2000|pp=224-225}} In 1838, Khitab was recorded as a Sunni Muslim village.Smith, in Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. [https://archive.org/stream/biblicalresearch03robiuoft#page/179/mode/1up 179]

In the 1930s, during French Mandatory rule, about two-thirds of Khitab's lands were mortgaged from the al-Azm family, the rest mortgaged from the Kaylani family; both were part of the urban landowning elites of Hama. The inhabitants of the village were Sunni Muslim Arab farmers.{{sfn|Comité de l'Asie française|1933|pp=132–134}}

During the Syrian Civil War, many men from the town were recruited into the regime's Tarmeh Regiment.{{Cite web |last=Waters |first=Gregory |date=October 2018 |title=THE TIGER FORCES: PRO-ASSAD FIGHTERS BACKED BY RUSSIA |url=https://www.mei.edu/sites/default/files/2018-11/TigerForces.pdf |access-date=12 December 2024 |website=Middle East Institute |page=25}} At the same time, there were many in the town who supported the revolution.{{Cite web |last=Alloush |first=Basma |date=2022-03-24 |title=The Village of Khattab: A Syrian Story |url=https://timep.org/2022/03/24/the-village-of-khattab-a-syrian-story/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy - |language=en-US}}