Sayfo; Village of Khwetla

Village of Khwetla

About 20 Syriac families lived in this village and most of whom were originally from Arbo. Priest Marawge, from Hbob (Ehwo), used to live there. There also was a church in the village. Before the attackers came, all Syriac people left the village, and went to Upper Khwetla where some Kurd lived. The Kurdish village leader, Khalil, vowed that they would be safe, and persuaded them to stay with him and he assured them that he would protect them.

Khalil went to Tel Sha'ir, to report there on the persecutions and what else was happening. As he stayed away for too long, the Syriac people thought that something bad was going to happen. They wanted to leave, but the gate was locked. They broke an opening in the wall and left. On their way to Tur Abdin, Kurds from Tell Sha'ir, led by the same Khalil, followed and caught them. There was a fight between the two parties which went on into the village of Igunduke di'ito (Gundukscukru). But the  Kurdish attackers did not manage to kill one single Syriac man. From there, the Syriac people crossed Mor Bobo village to the mountain of Beth Debe.