Jisr ash-Shugur

Jisr ash-Shugur (pronounced [dʒɪsr aʃˈʃuɣuːr]; also spelled Jisr al-Shughour) (Arabic: جسر الشغور‎) is a city in Syria in the Idlib Governorate. Situated at an altitude of 170 metres (560 ft) above sea level on the Orontes river, the city was inhabited by 44,322 people as of 2010. Jisr ash-Shugur has long been an important stopping point on trade routes and is situated on the main route between Latakia, 75 kilometres (47 mi) to the west and Aleppo 104 kilometres (65 mi) to the east. Located in the rich alluvial plain of the Ghab valley on the eastern side of the An-Nusayriyah Mountains (also known as the Jebel Ansariye), the area has been continuously inhabited for over 10,000 years. The ancient city of Qarqar is thought to have been...