Basalt door of an ancient structure in Khan al-Sabil, pre-1903
The village contains several ancient ruins; among them are buildings with doors made of basalt.[2] The doors are the largest of their kind in the greater Aleppo region. They were decorated with Christian symbols. In the 20th century, two of these doors were part of buildings still used by Khan al-Sabil's residents.[3]
Khan al-Sabil is located on an ancient caravan route [3] and is named after an old khan (caravanserai) of the same name located in the village. The modern village was built around the khan,[4] which was established in 1371 by the Bahri Mamluk ruler of Syria, al-Malik al-Ashraf. Its upkeep and amenities were financed by a waqf (Islamic religious trust).[5] The khan fell into disuse in the first years of the 20th century, or perhaps even earlier.[2]
During the Syrian Civil War, Khan al-Sabil served as military headquarters for the Hazzm Movement, a rebel outfit fighting against the Syrian government. The village was taken over by the al-Qaeda-linked group, the Nusra Front, following their victory over the Hazzm Movement in the area.[6]
