The Ottoman government resettled the area with Circassian refugees from the Russo-Turkish War in 1878. As of 1911, its 1,500 inhabitants were all Circassians. Armenian refugees settled in Manbij during the Armenian genocide. In autumn 1915 Djemal Pasha ordered an establishment of a camp for about 1000 families of the Armenian Clergy. In January and February 1916 the sub prefect of Manbij ordered the camp to be cleared and the Armenians to be deported to Meskene. The destruction of pre-modern Manbij has been attributed to its resettlement by Circassians and Armenians.