In 1919 when the first inhabitants returned, they discovered the town was more like a lunar landscape.

Six months after the civil war, almost 60,000 inhabitants, more than 70 percent of pre-war population, had returned.

Later in the 16th century, many inhabitants from Jīlū returned to rebuild their homes and churches.

After the signing of the armistice, the original inhabitants returned on December 2, 1918.

Battle lines had drifted back and forth since then, but the original inhabitants hadn't returned.

It is likely that the inhabitants had to give up sedentism and returned to life on the move.

This number gradually increased as nearly 2,000 prewar inhabitants of the city returned home.

However, on 16 May the villages came under Syrian control, and many inhabitants returned.

To their amazement they found everything in such order that it seemed the inhabitants would return at any moment.

However, many inhabitants return to the old part of the town during the summer, as its architecture provides better protection against the heat.