[5] On 11 February 2013, rebel groups including the al-Nusra Front and Liwa Owais al-Qorani took over the city.

[8] The Tabqa Dam and Lake Assad on the Euphrates, an important energy source for Syria, are near the town.

The Shia Al Zahraa' Mosque was destroyed and an Ismaili place of worship was turned into a children's training centre.

[12] During IS rule, high ranking IS members would reside in the city, escaping the bombardments on its capital Raqqa.

The Syrian Democratic Forces captured the town in the 2017 Battle of Tabqa[13][14] during which an estimated 40% of the buildings were either damaged or destroyed.