The History of Suroye in Beth Zalin (Qamishli)

11/09/2026

On 20 August 1926, the foundations of a new city were formally laid on the flat plain south of Nisibis (Nusaybin). Beth Zalin (Qamishli) would become one of the most important centers of Suroyo (Syriac–Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) life in northeastern Syria.

In the Suroyo tradition, civilization (mdinoyutho), is closely associated with urban life and the city. This reflects the ancient history of Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia), where cities emerged thousands of years ago as centers of political, cultural, religious, commercial, and technological development.

Throughout history, cities have been established where people could build and sustain communal life — near rivers, springs, fertile lands, mountains, and trade routes. But cities have also been born from displacement. Wars, persecution, massacres, and political upheavals have repeatedly forced communities to abandon their ancestral settlements and establish new ones.

Beth Zalin was born from such a history.

The 1915 Genocide, followed by further persecution and massacres, forced Suroye to abandon many of their ancestral towns and villages and seek safety elsewhere. Although Beth Zalin is today remembered for its culture, commerce, music, literature, art, and diverse social life, its origins are rooted in a profound tragedy of displacement, suffering, and loss.

Following the Treaty of Lausanne, signed on 24 July 1923, the new Turkish-Syrian border divided the historic geography around Nisibis. Under the French Mandate, Syrian territory became a refuge for Suroye, Armenians, Jews, and others fleeing persecution and instability in the newly established Republic of Turkey.

Suroye, Armenians, and Jews crossed the border from the Merde (Mardin) region, settling in existing communities or establishing new ones. The division of Nisibis left its southern surroundings within Syria, creating the conditions for the emergence of a new urban center.

In 1923, the Suroyo quarter of Wusta, which would become the center of modern Beth Zalin, consisted of approximately ten families. Among them was Father Malke, originally from Ehwo in Tur Izlo (Mount Izla). He served at the Mor Yahqub Church in Nisibis, located less than one and a half kilometers from the emerging Wusta quarter.

As the Suroyo population grew, a church dedicated to Mor Yahqub was later established, which continues to serve the Syriac Orthodox community today.

Between 1915 and 1925, migration from territories within Turkey into Syria intensified. French authorities supported the establishment of a new city south of Nisibis, with elements of its urban design influenced by French planning. Official ceremonies marking the establishment of Beth Zalin began on 20 August 1926.

The city’s name is generally associated with the reed-covered landscape of the area. The Turkish word kamış, meaning reed, gave rise to Qamishli. Suroyo speakers referred to it as Qamışlo, while Zalin, the Suroyo word associated with reeds, became another name for the city. Kurdish speakers likewise use forms derived from Qamışlo.

By 1927, Beth Zalin had grown into a settlement of thousands. By 1931, its population had reached approximately 11,000, with Syriac Orthodox, Syriac Catholic, and Protestant families forming the largest community. Armenians constituted another major population, followed by Jews, including approximately 250 families who had relocated from Nisibis.

The surrounding countryside was also home to Kurdish, Mhallami, and Arab communities, while Syriac families inhabited villages including Hilko, Til Fariz, Dimhiya, Tartap, Himo, and Tilsum. Jewish families later settled in Eweca

As Beth Zalin expanded, it developed into numerous quarters, including Wusta, Gharbiya, Bsheriya, Arboye, Ashuriya, Musa Asso, Kudurbek, and Taya. By 1960, the city’s population had reached approximately 50,000, with Suroye constituting a substantial share. By 1980, it had grown to approximately 226,000. Today, Beth Zalin is home to hundreds of thousands of people, although the absence of a recent census makes precise demographic figures difficult to establish.

Over the past century, Beth Zalin has evolved into a major center of politics, culture, commerce, education, music, art, and sports. It has produced generations of intellectuals, writers, poets, artists, and other talented figures.

Yet demographic change should not erase historical memory.

Beth Zalin’s modern foundation is inseparable from the displacement of Suroye that followed the 1915 Genocide. The city’s Suroyo character was shaped not only by those who settled there, but by the institutions, churches, schools, culture, and social life they built over generations.

For Suroye worldwide, Beth Zalin is a testament to survival.

Its history must be taught to younger generations, not to deny the presence or contributions of other communities, but to ensure that the story of the people who built their lives there after catastrophe is not forgotten.

A century after its foundations were laid, Beth Zalin remains a symbol of Suroyo resilience, memory, and civilization.

To preserve Beth Zalin’s legacy is to preserve a chapter of Suroyo history, and to ensure that the civilization rebuilt by survivors continues to live in the generations that follow.

This editorial was originally published in Turkish by Gazete Sabro on 11 September 2026. The original can be found here.