in the 1880s, kisrin, at the east edge of the modern town, was described as "a small bedawin winter village, with a group of beautiful oak trees and old ruins". from the late 19th century to 1967, the village was occupied by bedouin and a settled population. since 1920 and until the independence of syria in 1944, the area was under the jurisdiction of the french mandate. the syrian farm of fakhoura was just to the north-east and had about 250 inhabitants before its depopulation in 1967.