Mayadin#Syrian Civil War

{{anchor|Audattha}}

Mayadin has been identified to be the ancient Audattha known to Ptolemy, though some suggest Audattha was where Haditha now stands in Iraq.{{cite book|last1=Boulanger|first1=Robert|title=The Middle East: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran|date=1966|publisher=Hachette|page=490|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2a8LAQAAIAAJ&q=Audattha|access-date=28 February 2017|language=en}}{{cite book|last1=Sale|first1=George|last2=Psalmanazar|first2=George|last3=Bower|first3=Archibald|last4=Shelvocke|first4=George|last5=Campbell|first5=John|last6=Swinton|first6=John|title=An Universal History, from the Earliest Account of Time|date=1748|publisher=T. Osborne|page=348|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bkZfduZWpxkC&q=Audattha|language=en}}

{{main|Al-Rahba#Rahbat Malik ibn Tawk}}

Mayadin is the successor of the medieval town and fortress of Rahbat Malik ibn Tawk, founded by the Abbasid lord and the original town's namesake, Malik ibn Tawk.{{sfn|Bianquis|1995|p=393}} Strategically located at a crossroads on the western bank of the Euphrates and considered the key to Syria from Iraq, control of the town was highly contested by the Muslim powers and Bedouin tribes of the region. It grew to become one of the major Muslim towns of the Euphrates valley and was an administrative center.{{sfn|Bianquis|1995|p=395}}

An earthquake destroyed Rahbat Malik ibn Tawk in 1157, after which it was granted by the Zengid ruler Nur ad-Din to Asad ad-Din Shirkuh, the paternal uncle of future Ayyubid sultan, Saladin.{{sfn|Bianquis|1995|p=394}} Shirkuh relocated the fortress about four kilometers southwest of the original site.{{sfn|Bianquis|1995|p=395}} The new settlement, known as "al-Rahba al-Jadida",{{sfn|Bianquis|1995|p=394}} remained the significant center of the Euphrates region through much of the Ayyubid–Mamluk era (12th–15th centuries),{{sfn|Bianquis|1995|p=395}} and today is a ruined fortress known as "Qal'at al-Rahba". The original settlement eventually became known as "Mashhad Rahba". The latter was located at the present site of Mayadin.

File:Mayadin nahiyah.svg and the Mayadin District.]]

In the early 20th century, Mayadin was the administrative seat of the Asharah kaza (subdistrict) of the Sanjak of Zor district and contained the residence of its qaimmaqam (governor).{{cite book|last1=Musil|first1=Alois|title=The Middle Euphrates: A Topographical Itinerary|date=1927|publisher=American Geographical Society|location=New York|page=6|url=http://otap.bilkent.edu.tr/svoboda/public/musil/musil.pdf}}{{cite book|title=A Handbook of Mesopotamia, Volume III: Central Mesopotamia with Southern Kurdistan and the Syrian Desert|date=January 1917|publisher=Admiralty and War Office, Division of Intelligence|page=124|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101073337998;view=1up;seq=250}} In a British military intelligence report from the 1900s, the town had a population of 2,000 mostly Sunni Muslims and a small minority of Christians. There was a bazaar, several shops and a mosque with a leaning minaret. According to Czech explorer Alois Musil, who visited in 1912, Mayadin had a garrison of twelve gendarmes, ten policemen and ten mule riders. There was a boys' primary school in the town. The population was about 2,500, consisting of roughly four hundred Muslim families, fifteen Syriac Orthodox families (mostly refugees from Mardin), and three Jewish families, living in a total of 380 houses. On June 19, 1947, Pan Am Flight 121, crewed by third officer Gene Roddenberry (who went on to create the original Star Trek television series), crashed 4 miles (6.4 km) from the town.

{{Main|Syrian Civil War}}

The town was captured by the Free Syrian Army in late August 2012, with the only part still in regime hands being the Mayadin military base, an artillery position on a hill overlooking the town,{{cite web|first=Bassem |last=Mroue |date=August 24, 2012 |url=http://www.newsday.com/news/world/regime-airstrike-targets-syrian-apartments-1.3926219 |title=Regime airstrike targets Syrian apartments|website=Newsday}} which in turn was captured on 22 November. This gave the rebels control of a large amount of territory east of the base to the Iraqi border.{{cite news|last=Yeranian|first=Edward|title=Analysts Weigh In on Longevity of Syria's Assad|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/analysts_weight_in_on_longevity_of_syrias_assad/1551388.html|access-date=24 November 2012|newspaper=Voice of America|date=22 November 2012}} On 3 July 2014, ISIL captured Mayadin after ousting the FSA and raised their black standard.{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/is-takes-over-towns-countryside-in-oil-rich-syria-province-ngo-552453|title=IS Takes Over Towns, Countryside in Oil-Rich Syria Province: NGO|work=NDTV.com|access-date=25 October 2014|date=3 July 2014}} A local underground resistance movement of Sunni Muslim fighters loyal to the al-Nusra Front attacked ISIL checkpoints in the city in 2015.{{cite web|title=Gunmen kill more than 12 ISIL militants in eastern Syria |url=http://www.todayszaman.com/world_gunmen-kill-more-than-12-isil-militants-in-eastern-syria_374657.html |website=Today's Zaman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150309054011/http://www.todayszaman.com/world_gunmen-kill-more-than-12-isil-militants-in-eastern-syria_374657.html |archive-date=9 March 2015 |date=8 March 2015 |url-status=dead }} This forced ISIL militants to dig a {{convert|15|km|0|abbr=on}} defensive position around the city.{{cite web|title=After repeated attacks launched by unknown gunmen, IS digs a trench around the city of Mayadin |url=http://syriahr.com/en/2015/03/after-repeated-attacks-launched-by-unknown-gunmen-is-digs-a-trench-around-the-city-of-al-mayadin/ |website=Syrian Observatory For Human Rights |access-date=28 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403042639/http://syriahr.com/en/2015/03/after-repeated-attacks-launched-by-unknown-gunmen-is-digs-a-trench-around-the-city-of-al-mayadin/ |archive-date=3 April 2015 |date=28 March 2015 |url-status=dead }}

On 3 April 2017, during the SDF's offensive to capture Raqqa, it was reported that ISIL was possibly in the process of moving its capital from Raqqa city to Mayadin. This followed months of gradual relocation of resources and senior ISIL leaders from Raqqa to Mayadin.{{cite web|url=http://moderndiplomacy.eu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2420:is-isis-moving-its-capital-from-raqqa-to-mayadin-in-deir-ez-zor&Itemid=154|title=Is ISIS Moving its Capital from Raqqa to Mayadin in Deir ez-Zor?|first1=Anne|last1=Speckhard|first2=Asaad H.|last2=Almohammad|date=3 April 2017|website=Modern Diplomacy|access-date=4 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823023922/http://moderndiplomacy.eu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2420:is-isis-moving-its-capital-from-raqqa-to-mayadin-in-deir-ez-zor&Itemid=154|archive-date=23 August 2017|url-status=dead}} On 21 April 2017, the United States announced that they had conducted a ground raid in Mayadin and killed Abdulrakhman Uzbeki, an ISIS leader.{{cite news |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/monde/proche-moyen-orient/mayadin-nouvelle-et-probablement-ultime-capitale-de-l-etat-islamique_1923239.html |title=Mayadin, nouvelle et probablement ultime capitale de l'Etat islamique |first=Clément |last=Daniez |date=30 June 2017 |access-date=28 July 2022 |magazine=L'Express |language=fr}}

On 18 June 2017, Iran hit ISIL targets in Mayadin using domestic-based surface-to-surface mid-range missiles.{{cite web |url=http://www.iransview.com/why-iran-targets-isis-positions-in-syrias-deir-ezzur/1729/ |title = Why Iran Targets ISIS Positions in Syria's Deir Ezzor? - Iran's View {{!}} Iran's View}}

By the 10 October 2017, the town was besieged by the SAA and fighting had begun in the suburbs in preparation to storm the town.{{cite web |url=https://muraselon.com/en/2017/10/video-syrian-forces-combat-isis-al-mayadeen-suburbs/ |title = موقع مراسلون {{!}} الرئيسية}}

On 11 October 2017, the Syrian Army made huge advances inside the town of Mayadin and has taken control of about 60 percent of the town.[https://web.archive.org/web/20171011232856/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-isis-almost-driven-capital-city-elite-syrian-forces/ Breaking: ISIS almost driven-out of capital city by elite Syrian forces]

On 14 October 2017, the Syrian Arab Army retook the town thus ending the 4 year long ISIL rule over it.[http://dominicanherald.blogspot.com/2017/10/el-ejercito-sirio-toma-la-ciudad-de-al.html El Ejército sirio toma la ciudad de Al Mayadín, uno de los últimos reductos del Estado Islámico en Siria][http://www.europapress.es/internacional/noticia-ejercito-sirio-toma-ciudad-mayadin-ultimos-reductos-estado-islamico-siria-20171014131559.html El Ejército sirio toma la ciudad de Al Mayadín, uno de los últimos reductos del Estado Islámico en Siria][https://web.archive.org/web/20171014202552/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-syrian-army-liberates-isis-capital-city/ Breaking: Syrian Army liberates ISIS capital city]

In June 2018, ISIL unsuccessfully attempted to retake the town.

There is a football club in the city called Al-Mayadin SC, which plays the second highest competition in Syria.{{cite news|url=http://www.gsf-sport.com/?p=13177|title=إدارة نادي الميادين تشكل الكوادر الفنية لفرق كرة القدم|language=Arabic|access-date=22 October 2017}}

Mayadin has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh).

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Mayadin

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|Jan high C = 13.2

|Feb high C = 16.1

|Mar high C = 20.3

|Apr high C = 26.1

|May high C = 32.1

|Jun high C = 37.7

|Jul high C = 40.4

|Aug high C = 40.3

|Sep high C = 35.9

|Oct high C = 29.7

|Nov high C = 21.8

|Dec high C = 15.1

|Jan mean C = 7.9

|Feb mean C = 10.0

|Mar mean C = 13.6

|Apr mean C = 18.8

|May mean C = 24.4

|Jun mean C = 29.5

|Jul mean C = 32.3

|Aug mean C = 32.1

|Sep mean C = 27.7

|Oct mean C = 21.7

|Nov mean C = 14.8

|Dec mean C = 9.5

|Jan low C = 2.7

|Feb low C = 3.9

|Mar low C = 6.9

|Apr low C = 11.6

|May low C = 16.7

|Jun low C = 21.4

|Jul low C = 24.3

|Aug low C = 24.0

|Sep low C = 19.5

|Oct low C = 13.8

|Nov low C = 7.8

|Dec low C = 3.9

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 27

|Feb precipitation mm = 22

|Mar precipitation mm = 23

|Apr precipitation mm = 21

|May precipitation mm = 9

|Jun precipitation mm = 0

|Jul precipitation mm = 0

|Aug precipitation mm = 0

|Sep precipitation mm = 1

|Oct precipitation mm = 7

|Nov precipitation mm = 12

|Dec precipitation mm = 24

|year precipitation mm= 146

|source = [https://en.climate-data.org/location/428755/]

|date=11 May 2018}}

{{reflist|30em}}

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• {{EI2|last=Bianquis|first=Thierry|authorlink=Thierry Bianquis|title=Al-Raḥba|volume=8}}

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{{Cities of Syria}}

{{Deir ez-Zor Governorate|mayadin}}

Category:Cities in Syria

Category:Populated places on the Euphrates River

Category:Populated places in Mayadin District