Most of the subdistrict is part of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, apart from an enclave of Hasakah city, which has remained under the control of the Syrian government since the beginning of the Syrian civil war.

[1] Following the Battle of Shaddadi in February 2013, in which the city of Al-Shaddadah came under the control of al-Nusra Front, the southern parts of Al-Hasakah Subdistrict also fell to Nusra.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took over from al-Nusra Front in the area, and pushed northwards up to the boundary of Hasakah city, culminating in the 2015 Battle of al-Hasakah.

Surrounding Mount Kawkab (Arabic: تلة كوكب, at 36.536251°N, 40.858276°E) is the largest military base of the governorate, which has remained in the hands of the Syrian Army throughout the war.

[3] ISIS attacked the base without success in July 2014 and October 2015.