Sayfo; City of Midyat

Midyat during the Sayfo Genocide

The Sayfo, Syriac genocide was a systematic mass extermination and ethnic cleansing of the Syriac and other Christian communities in the Ottoman Empire during and immediately after World War I. The term "Sayfo" means "sword" in Syriac/Aramaic and also carries the secondary meanings of "extermination" and "annihilation"

The city of Midyat, located in Tur-Abdin mountainous area, was a central and significantly affected area during the Sayfo. It was the core of Syriac Orthodox settlement, encompassing almost 100 villages, and was the only town in the Ottoman Empire with a Syriac population majority and served as a traditional safe haven for Syriac and Chaldean families fleeing oppression from other regions.

Growing Anxiety and Rumors The Syriac communities in Tur-Abdin, including Midyat, became increasingly anxious as they heard stories of massacres from survivors fleeing other areas, despite local authorities' assurances that the violence only concerned Armenians. Failed Disarmament and Divide-and-Conquer Tactics In early June 1915, Ottoman officials ordered Christians to surrender their arms. Local Syriac leaders, Hanne Safar and Isa Zatte, were compelled to comply. The authorities attempted to divide Christian denominations, implying that only Protestants and Catholics were targets due to "foreign connections," while Syriac Orthodox would be safe. This tactic weakened the overall Christian defensive capability.

The Kaymakam (governor) Nuri Bey, who had made solemn oaths to protect Christians, disappeared in late June, possibly assassinated for refusing to organize the killings. His temporary replacement, Hajji Bashar Bey, explicitly ordered local Kurdish tribes to take severe actions against the Syriacs and other Christian inhabitants. Warnings of these plans reached the Syriacs through a Muhallemi guard and a Kurdish shepherd.

On July 6, 1915, after the Syriac leaders refused to surrender, the Omariyan tribe, supported by some Muhallemi and regular soldiers, invaded the Christian sectors of Midyat. The battle for Midyat lasted for more than a week. The city witnessed rampant, violent murders. Children were thrown from roofs and mutilated with axes. Young Christian boys in the “Shaqfo” marketplace were thrown headfirst from tall buildings to their deaths, or gathered in groups of 500-600, beaten on the head with thick sticks, and then had mounted soldiers ride over their bodies. Houses and churches were set ablaze, with Christians trapped inside dying from burning or suffocation. In one instance, a Syriac man who offered refuge to fleeing Christians had his house locked from the outside and set on fire, killing all within. 

The once-powerful Syriac leader Hanne Safar was beheaded with his own ceremonial sword. His head was then paraded on a pole and used as a football by Muslim boys in the streets. Monks and nuns from surrounding monasteries (Mor Abrohom, Mor Hobel, Mor Ya'qub, Mor Sharbel) were spat at, mocked, and some were crucified or killed. Women and young girls were subjected to widespread rape, abduction, forced marriage, and enslavement. Many Syriac women and girls reportedly chose to drown themselves to escape these atrocities. 

Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the Syriacs and other Christians of Midyat mounted a significant resistance. Key families like the Hirmiz and Safar played important roles. 

When the situation in Midyat deteriorated, Gallo Shabo and 25 armed men from the nearby village of ‘Ayn-Wardo, a fortress-like Syriac stronghold that served as a refuge for thousands of Christians, went to assist Midyat on July 6, 1915, followed by 100 more men the next day. These fighters engaged in fierce confrontations, even eliminating some brutal Ottoman officials and storming the town hall. However, facing overwhelming forces, they eventually retreated to ‘Ayn-Wardo to defend it. 

A Syriac Orthodox bishop and 46 Syriac Orthodox priests were among the victims.

Midyat was left in ruins, described as a "mountain of dust." Many of its original inhabitants were killed, and much of the property was plundered, with even doors and windows stolen.

Even after the main massacres of 1915, Syriacs continued to face violence. Some sources suggest that more Syriacs were killed in "accidents" on the roads after Sayfo than during the initial massacres. The Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate estimated that 25,830 members of their church were massacred in the vicinity of Midyat, representing almost two-thirds of the local Christian population. 

The Sayfo led to mass emigration, severely depopulating the region. Today, only a small number of Syriacs remain in Midyat and Mardin, living with the deep psychological legacy of the genocide. The trauma is inter-generational, and openly discussing the Sayfo remains challenging in Turkey due to denial and fear. The events in Midyat exemplify the characteristics of the Sayfo, which involved systematic extermination based on ethno-religious motivations, the use of extreme violence and humiliation, and an ongoing struggle for recognition and memory.

Suggested Readings:

• de Courtois, Sébastien (2013), The forgotten genocide : eastern Christians, the last Arameans, translated by Vincent Aurora

• Gaunt, David (2006), Massacres, Resistance, Protectors; Muslim–Christian Relations in Eastern Anatolia during World War I

• Shabo, Talay & Barthoma, Soner O (2015), Sayfo 1915. An Anthology of Essays on the Genocide of Assyrians/Arameans during the First World War