The population of the village of Surya drops to zero
From massacre to military clashes to economic abandonment, the forces that crushed a once-vibrant Assyrian village have now emptied it entirely.
The historic Assyrian village of Surya, located along the Iraq–Turkey border, has now been completely abandoned following the departure of its last remaining residents, including the village head (mukhtar). With their exit, Surya, once a vibrant Assyrian community in northern Iraq's Assyrian region has fallen silent, marking the end of an unbroken human presence that spanned generations, according to Assyrian National Broadcasting (ANB Sat).
Massacre and displacement
Surya carries a painful legacy. In 1969, Iraqi army forces carried out the Surya Massacre, killing dozens of Assyrian villagers, among them women and children, including a number of muslims. The atrocity left a deep scar on the community and is commemorated annually by Assyrians in northern Iraq. Yet, more than five decades later, the massacre remains unrecognized and unaddressed by the Iraqi government.
In recent years, Surya has faced new dangers as it was used as a hideout by the Kurdish PKK organization, designated as terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU, placing the village and its residents directly in harm’s way. In September 2020, clashes between Turkish forces and the PKK ignited fires throughout the area, and in July 2022, the village was shelled again by the Turkish military in its pursuit of PKK operatives.
Economic impoverishment
It is not only a massacre and continuous fighting that has affected the village. Economic impoverishment and the lack of job opportunities has done its part in driving away the inhabitants.
The emptying of Surya, ANB Sat reports, underscores the hypocrisy of the Kurdish-led regional administration, which continues to proclaim its support for Assyrians while historic Assyrian villages are left to deteriorate and disappear: “The situation raises questions about the seriousness of the regional government’s commitment to protecting Assyrians and providing them with employment opportunities, as it continues to claim support for them while historic villages remain deserted and on the brink of extinction.”
The Assyria Post
