Sayfo; Village of Tell Khatun

Village of Tell Khatun

About 50 Syriac families lived in this village and the local church was ministered by a priest called Yeshue. About half the land of the village was owned by the Kurd Qedur Bey, the other half by the Kurd Shecka Isa, who was also the village leader. When the evil Qedur Bey came from Shalhumiye to Tell Khatun, he inspired confidence in the villagers and told them they did not need to be afraid but they had to transfer his possessions to him, because he will take you to Nisibin and whoever stays back in the village will be killed by the Muslims. In the morning, he called the Syriac people to him and told them to handcuff each other so that the Muslims will think that he will kill you. 

Then, he ordered the soldiers to lead the men outside the village and kept the women and children together in an enclosure. When the men marched outside the village, they were taken toward the river Garrah. When they arrived at the river, he ordered the priest to tell the people that they should convert to Islam but the priest encouraged the faithful saying: "My children do not fear! Because within a short while you will all be with Jesus Christ. We will die for His name. Each one of you has to say the prayer, "Our Father!" Then the priest told the Kurd "We will not convert to Islam! Do with us whatever you wish!" Then that evil one ordered his bandits to kill all the men and they first killed the priest, and then the others. When they had returned to the village, they murdered the women and children near the village of Tell Khatun. Hassan Abbas, one of the bandits, told us that a light from heaven shone over the martyrs after the massacre at Tel Khatun. When the Muslims came near, the light rose, and when they drew back, it dropped.