AINTAB, a town in Syria in the vilayet of Aleppo. Prior to the treaty of peace with Turkey in 1920, the town belonged to Turkey. It has military importance and is provided with strong fortifications. Before the war it had an important trade in leather and cotton. Pop. about 45,000, which is made up for the most part of Armenian and Greek Christians. In April and May, 1920, the city was attacked by Turkish forces and many of its inhabitants were killed and most of the others were driven from the city. The French force which was defending the town withdrew, leaving it defenseless. There were present at the time several American missionaries who, however, escaped from the city without injury.