Armenians in Syria are present in both rural and Urban areas. The villages of Kessab and Yakubiyah had Armenian majority prior to the civil war, and both are located near the contested border region of Hatay Province.[32] Kessab was attacked and looted in an ambush by Syrian Rebels who were given passage through Hatay province by Turkey,(although they deny this claim) and Yacubiyah had their Armenian population expelled by Al Nusra.[33][34] Excluding those villages, Armenians are primarily urban.