﴿ كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْا۟ فِيهَآ ۗ أَلَا بُعْدًۭا لِّمَدْيَنَ كَمَا بَعِدَتْ ثَمُودُ ﴾

“as though they had never lived there. Oh, away with [the people of] Madyan, even as the Thamud have been done away with!”

as if ka-an is softened in other words understand it as ka-annahum they had never dwelt there ‘Lo! Away with Midian just as Thamūd was done away with!’