, ▁the ▁residence ▁of ▁the ▁k ay m ak am ▁( kaz a ▁governor ), ▁a ▁police ▁station , ▁a ▁fer ry , ▁and ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁about ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁The ▁k aza ▁of ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁France ▁occupied ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁together ▁with ▁De ir ▁ez - Z or ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁and ▁made ▁it ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁a ▁large ▁g arrison . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁it ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁independent ▁Sy ria . ▁The ▁region ' s ▁position ▁at ▁the ▁border ▁of ▁Sy ria ▁and ▁Ira q , ▁especially ▁after ▁the ▁US ▁invasion ▁of ▁Ira q , ▁has ▁made ▁it ▁an ▁important ▁commercial ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁political ▁center . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁four ▁US ▁hel ic op ters ▁carried ▁out ▁a ▁ra id ▁on ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Su kk ari ye h ▁in ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁district . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁known ▁ra id ▁inside ▁Sy ria ▁by ▁the ▁US . ▁News ▁reports ▁indicate ▁that ▁at ▁least ▁seven ▁people ▁were ▁killed , ▁four ▁of ▁them ▁children . ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁is ▁located ▁near ▁to ▁Al - Q a ' im , ▁a ▁crossing ▁point ▁for ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁ins ur gency ▁and ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁Operation ▁Ste el ▁Cur tain ▁in ▁November , ▁ 2 0 0 5 .