Debelt is located near the ruins of the city of Develtos. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829, the region was occupied by Russia with the support of the Christian population. However, after the Treaty of Adrianople in 1829, the Christian population of Debelt abandoned the village and travelled with the Russian army as it withdrew from Ottoman territory. Most of the former inhabitants of Debelt settled in Bessarabia.
In 1864, the Ottoman government repopulated Debelt with Circassians,[2] after which the village became known as Yakezli (Bulgarian: Якезли).[3] Following the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the Circassians abandoned the village. In 1903, during the Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising, the village served as an important logistical base of the IMRO and training camps were established.[4] After the rebellion, a refugee camp was built.[4]