The Jazira Region , formerly Jazira Canton, ( Kurdish : Herêma Cizîrê , Arabic : إقليم الجزيرة , Syriac : ܦܢܝܬܐ ܕܓܙܪܬܐ , romanized : Ponyotho d'Gozarto ), is the largest of the three original regions of the de facto Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). As part of the ongoing Rojava conflict , its democratic autonomy was officially declared on 21 January 2014. The region is in the Al-Hasakah Governorate (formerly known as the Al-Jazira Province ) of Syria .
52-628: According to the AANES constitution, the city of Qamishli is the administrative center of Jazira Region. However, as parts of Qamishli remain under the control of Syrian government forces, meetings of the autonomous region's administration take place in the nearby city of Amuda . The region has two subordinate cantons, the Hasakah canton consisting of the al-Hasakah area (with the Al-Shaddadi , Al-Arisha and Al-Hawl districts subordinate to it),
104-683: A Kurdish-Christian autonomy movement emerged in Jazira. The demands of the movement were autonomous status similar to the Sanjak of Alexandretta , the protection of French troops, promotion of Kurdish language in schools and hiring of Kurdish officials. The movement was led by Michel Dome, mayor of Qamishli, Hanna Hebe, general vicar for the Syriac-Catholic Patriarch of Jazira, and the Kurdish notable Hajo Agha. Some Arab tribes supported
156-413: A pro-Damascus Kurdish chief. In September 1938, Hajo Agha chaired a general conference in Jazira and appealed to France for self-government. The new French High Commissioner, Gabriel Puaux, dissolved parliament and created autonomous administrations for Jabal Druze, Latakia and Jazira in 1939 which lasted until 1943. All four main ethnic communities (Kurds, Arabs, Armenians and Assyrians) are represented in
208-594: A small town, under the French Mandate authorities, which they initially called Bet-Zalin. The city itself was officially founded as Qamishli in 1926 as a railway station on the Taurus railway. One of the most important funders of the early development projects in the city was Masoud Asfar, an Assyrian who survived the Massacres of Diyarbakır (1895) as a young child. Masoud, along with stepbrother, whose last name
260-614: A smaller number of Armenians . It is 680 kilometres (420 mi) northeast of Damascus . The city is the administrative capital of the Qamishli District in Al-Hasakah Governorate , and the administrative center of Qamishli Subdistrict , consisting of 92 localities with a combined population of 232,095 in 2004. Qamishli was the de facto capital of the AANES , until it was moved to Ayn Issa . The city
312-741: A topic of continuous debate between the regions' Boards of Education and the Syrian central government in Damascus , which partly pays the teachers. In August 2016, the Ourhi Centre in the city of Qamishli was founded by the Assyrian community, to educate teachers in order to make the Syriac language an additional language to be taught in public schools in Jazira Region, which then started with
364-712: Is a city in northeastern Syria on the Syria–Turkey border , adjoining the city of Nusaybin in Turkey . The Jaghjagh River flows through the city. With a 2004 census population of 184,231, it is the ninth most-populous city in Syria and the second-largest in Al-Hasakah Governorate after Al-Hasakah . Qamishli has traditionally been a Christian Assyrian majority city, but is now predominantly populated by Kurds with large numbers of Arabs and Assyrians and
416-734: Is the 2015 established Nahawand Center for Developing Children’s Talents in Amuda . The Jazira Region Board of Education operates two public institutions of higher education, the University of Rojava and the Mesopotamian Social Sciences Academy , both in the city of Qamishli . Jazira Region houses a third one, the Hasakah campus of Al-Furat University , which is operated by the Damascus government Ministry of Higher Education. Qamishli Qamishli
468-585: Is the largest football club in the city and plays at 7 April Stadium . Diyarbekir Eyalet The Eyalet of Diyarbekir ( Arabic : إيالة ديار بكر ; Ottoman Turkish : ایالت دیاربكر , romanized : Eyālet-i Diyār-i Bekr ) was an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire . Its reported area in the 19th century was 20,332 square miles (52,660 km ), slightly larger than the original Abbasid province in Upper Mesopotamia . In 1846 it
520-874: The 1947 anti-Jewish riots in Aleppo . By 1963, the community had dwindled to 800, and after the Six-Day War it went down further to 150, of whom no one remain today. Qamishli is divided into several districts, which are further divided into neighborhoods. This is a list of the neighborhoods of Qamishli. Qamishli Airport was closed to civilians in October 2015, but later reopened. Syrian airline companies including Cham Wings Airlines , FlyDamas and Syrian Air provide flights between Qamishli and Damascus , Latakia , and Beirut . The Kurdish-language newspaper Nu Dem has its headquarters in Qamishli. While prior to
572-822: The Al-Darbasiyah area, and the Tell Tamer area, as well as the Qamishli canton consisting of the Qamishli area (with the Amûda , Tirbê Sipî , Tel Hemîs and Tel Berak districts subordinate to it) and the Derîk area (with the Girkê Legê , Tel Koçer and Çilaxa districts subordinate to it). Jazira Region's ethnic groups include Kurds , Arabs , Assyrians , Armenians and Yazidis . While Kurdish , Arabic and Syriac are official languages, all communities have
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#1732775959385624-893: The Rojava conflict , there had been no institution of higher education in northeastern Syria, in September 2014 the Mesopotamian Social Sciences Academy started teaching. Following the University of Afrin , in July 2016 the Jazira Canton 's Board of Education officially established the second Syrian Kurdish university in Qamishli. The University of Rojava initially comprised four faculties: Medicine, Engineering, Sciences, and Arts and Humanities. Programs taught include health, oil, computer and agricultural engineering, physics, chemistry, history, psychology, geography, mathematics, primary school teaching, and Kurdish literature . Al-Jihad SC
676-589: The Tanzimat reforms period (1839–67). Until the 19th century, Kurdistan did not include the lands of Syrian Jazira in some books. The Treaty of Sèvres ' putative Kurdistan did not include any part of today's Syria. According to McDowall, Kurds slightly outnumbered Arabs in Jazira in 1918. The demographics of Northern Syria saw a huge shift in the early part of the 20th century when the Ottoman Empire ( Turks ) conducted ethnic cleansing of its Christian Armenian and Assyrian populations. Some Kurdish tribes joined in
728-631: The Turkish authorities . It is estimated that 25,000 Kurds fled at this time to Syria. While many of the Kurds in Syria have been there for centuries, waves of Kurds fled their homes in Turkey and settled in Syria, where they were granted citizenship by the French mandate authorities . In the late 1930s a small but vigorous separatist movement emerged in Qamishli. With some support from French Mandate officials,
780-603: The Turkish-Syrian border . As after the foundation of Turkey in 1923, the major economic hubs were allocated to Turkey, the French Mandate authorities deemed it necessary to encourage the settlement or foundation of new villages and towns in the region. The current town was founded in 1926 by the French Mandate, which following encouraged the settlement of the population in Nusaybin, which is located just across
832-680: The 101-seat Legislative Assembly. The current prime minister (sometimes referred to as president) of Jazira Canton is the Kurdish Akram Hesso with Arab Hussein Taza Al Azam and Assyrian Elizabeth Gawrie as deputy prime ministers (sometimes referred to as vice-presidents). There are people's councils but it is unclear how they relate to the transitional government. There also appear to be co-governor/co-president positions, with tribal leader and Al-Sanadid Forces leader Humaydi Daham al-Hadi and Hediye Yusuf being co-governors of
884-541: The 2016/17 academic year. With that academic year, states the Rojava Education Committee, "three curriculums have replaced the old one, to include teaching in three languages: Kurdish, Arabic and Syriac”. The federal, regional and local administrations in Rojava put much emphasis on promoting libraries and educational centers, to facilitate learning and social and artistic activities. One cited example
936-459: The Absentees , under which a real estate owner loses title when he does not make personal use of the property. In particular among the Assyrian community in Jazira Region, persistent opposition was voiced, as their community is disproportionally hit by the measure, for both a high degree of real estate ownership and a particularly high share of outbound civil war refugees. Assyrian organizations of
988-651: The Assyrian community of al-Malikiyah was subjected to a vicious assault. Even though the assault failed, Assyrians felt threatened and left in large numbers, and the immigration of Kurds from Turkey to the area converted al-Malikiya, al-Darbasiyah and Amuda to Kurdish-majority cities. According to the French report to the League of Nations in 1937, the population of Jazira consisted of 82,000 Kurdish villagers, 42,000 Muslim Arab pastoralists, and 32,000 Christian town dwellers (Assyrians and Armenians). Between 1932 and 1939,
1040-523: The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria to introduce an income tax , with citizens' income of above 100,000 Syrian pound (at the time equivalent to around 200 U.S. dollar) per month to be taxed. Like in the other Rojava regions, primary education in the public schools is initially by mother tongue instruction either Kurdish or Arabic, with the aim of bilingualism in Kurdish and Arabic in secondary schooling. Curricula are
1092-505: The Kongra Star, an organization focused on the female activities in the AANES. The only significant industrial area is in Hasakah . Jazira Region is home to several oil fields , among them Syria's best producing one at Rmelan . As of summer 2016, oil output in Jazira Region was estimated at 40,000 barrels per day. Some people work at primitive oil refining, which causes health hazards and pollution. The oil wealth in combination with
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#17327759593851144-580: The Kurdish home fans. The riot expanded out of the stadium and weapons were used against people of Kurdish background. In the aftermath, at least 30 Kurds were killed as the Syrian security services took over the city. In June 2005, thousands of Kurds demonstrated in Qamishli to protest the assassination of Sheikh Khaznawi, a Kurdish cleric in Syria, resulting in the death of one policeman and injury to four Kurdish civilians. In March 2008, according to Human Rights Watch , three more Kurds were killed when Syrian security forces opened fire on people celebrating
1196-475: The Kurdish tribes were settled near Mardin in Turkey, and paid the governor of that city for the right to graze their herds in the Syrian Jazira. The Kurdish tribes gradually settled in villages and cities and are still present in Jazira (modern Syria's Hasakah Governorate ). The Ottoman province of Diyarbekir , which included parts of modern-day northern Syria , was called Eyalet-i Kurdistan during
1248-717: The Syrian Civil War used to be around 1,8 million tons per year, at the height of the war however dropping as low as 0,5 million tons. The Economy Committee promotes varied vegetable and fruit cultivation instead of the mono-culture of wheat; in Amuda a centre to develop seedlings has been created. Development of a greenhouse economy is promoted. In Al-Qahtaniyah , an ecological village was founded so that local Rojavan population can acquire experience in ecology from international volunteers. By 2020, there have been established 40 workers cooperatives with between five and ten families each. Eighteen are organized by Aborija Jin of
1300-476: The atrocities committed against them. Many Assyrians fled to Syria during the genocide and settled mainly in the Jazira area. Until the 19th century, Kurdistan did not include the lands of Syrian Jazira in some books. According to McDowall, Kurds slightly outnumbered Arabs in Jazira in 1918. Starting in 1926, the region saw an immigration of Kurds following the failure of the Sheikh Said rebellion against
1352-493: The autonomists while others sided with the central government. In the legislative elections of 1936, autonomist candidates won all the parliamentary seats in Jazira and Jarabulus, while the nationalist Arab movement known as the National Bloc won the elections in the rest of Syria. After victory, the National Bloc pursued an aggressive policy toward the autonomists. The Jazira governor appointed by Damascus intended to disarm
1404-645: The border. Within a few years, Qamishli was more populous than Nusaybin. The major part of the Christian, and also of the Jewish population from Nusaybin moved to Qamsihli. In the 1930s the Jewish population of Qamishli numbered 3,000. After the escalation of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 1947, the situation of the Jews of Qamishli deteriorated. The exodus of Jews from Syria peaked due to violence, such as
1456-488: The city is under the administration of the AANES. The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate is "Csa" ( Mediterranean climate ; dry-summer subtropical climate). The summers tend to be dry and warm, with July being the hottest month of the year, while the winters are usually cold and wet, with January being the coldest month and having an average of 11 days of rain. In total, around 53 days of rain occur every year. In 1939, French mandate authorities reported
1508-455: The city were fiercely opposed to the PYD rule. Half the Christian population left by 2017 although no fighting happened in the city. Historically, Qamishli was also home to a significant Jewish community. The origin of the Jews of Qamishli (unlike the Jews of Damascus and Aleppo who are a mixture of Sephardi Jews and Musta'arabi Jews ) is the adjoining city of Nusaybin , on the other side of
1560-445: The city's airport, the city's train station, the border crossing, the governor's palace, and many other residential neighborhoods with various governmental buildings such as hospitals and fire departments. The economy of Jazira Canton mainly based on agriculture, it accounts for 17 percent of Syria's agricultural production, in particular wheat and cotton grown there in abundance. Being the "bread basket" of Syria, wheat production before
1612-451: The city. Once a Christian-majority city, the rural migration to Qamishli has increased the Kurdish population of the city. In addition, since the PYD militia took control of the city in 2012 they carried out a Kurdification process touching all aspects of life, starting by changing the name of the city to Qamishlo, to cultural and social aspects of the city. The Christian and Arab population in
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1664-493: The clash, state media added. In 2022, the Syrian government remains in control of a large part of the city centre as well as a substantial rural area to the south, including the airport, the border crossing, various government buildings, and many residential neighborhoods. The government still organises the production and the distribution of the harvest in the southern countryside, and organizes flights between Qamishli and other Syrian cities, as well as Beirut . However, most of
1716-598: The countryside and then began to move to the city. However, in the 1960s and until the late 1970s, when Assyrians still constituted two-thirds of the city's population, the government of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region actively confiscated Assyrian farms, lands, and areas, causing an Assyrian exodus. Qamishli is considered a center for both the Kurdish and the Assyrian ethnic groups in Syria. It
1768-636: The economic blockade of the AANES from the adjacent territories controlled by Turkey, and partially also the KRG, results in a distortion of relative prices; petrol costs only half as much as bottled water. Electricity is supplied by Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates, within Euphrates Region ; apart from that, electricity is produced by diesel generators. In July 2017, Jazira Region became the first region in
1820-424: The following population numbers for different ethnic/religious groups in Qamishli city centre. Qamishli is an ethnically mixed city. Kurds make up a majority of the city's population, which also has many Arabs , Assyrians , and Armenians . More than 80% of Qamishli's inhabitants are Sunni Muslims . They are mainly Kurds , followed by Arabs . The city is considered to be a Christian center in Syria, and
1872-596: The largest concentrations of Christians in Syria . Many of the cities where founded by Christian communities. In 1927 the regions population was recorded as the following table. In the late 10th century, the Kurdish Humaydi tribe had their winter pastures in the Jazira region and clashed with forces of Buyid ruler Adud al-Dawla . During the Ottoman Empire (1299–1922), large Kurdish-speaking tribal groups both settled in and were deported to areas of northern Syria from Anatolia . The largest of these tribal groups
1924-944: The local Kurdish tribes of the Garzan, Bedir Khan and Milli as well as the Yazidi in Sinjar . In 1835 he also subdued the Milli tribe in Mardin and in 1836, he defeated the ruler from the Emirate of Soran . After his death in 1836, his successor was Hafiz Mehmet Pasha who continued to subdue the Kurdish tribes and the Yazidi in Sincar. In the 1840s, the Eyalet ceded the Sanjak of Cizre , which before
1976-510: The movement actively lobbied for autonomy direct under French rule and separation from Syria on the ground that majority of the inhabitants were not Arabs. Syrian nationalists saw the movement as a profound threat to their eventual rule. The Syrian nationalists allied with local Arab Shammal tribal leader and Kurdish tribes. They together attacked the Christian movement in many towns and villages. Local Kurdish tribes who were allies of Shammar tribe sacked and burned Assyrian town of Amuda. In 1941,
2028-469: The population and encourage the settlement of Arab farmers from Aleppo, Homs and Hama in Jazira. In July 1937, armed conflict broke out between the Syrian police and the supporters of the movement. As a result, the governor and a significant portion of the police force fled the region and the rebels established local autonomous administration in Jazira. In August 1937 a number of Assyrians in Amuda were killed by
2080-399: The possessors of which are obliged to serve in the field; but if they do not, the ziamet or timar may be transferred to a son or relation, but not to a stranger. The hakumets have neither ziamets nor timars. Their governors exercise full authority, and receive not only the land revenues, but also all the other taxes which in the sanjaks are paid to the possessor of the ziamet or timar, such as
2132-579: The region published several statements making accusations of seizing private property, demographic changing and ethnic cleansing. Assets seized from Assyrians under the law have reportedly since been handed over to Syriac churches. Security is maintained by the Asayish police force and its Assyrian counterpart, the Sootoro . Syrian government loyalists only control a number of demarcated neighborhoods in Qamishli . The government-held areas in Qamishli include
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2184-629: The region. In January 2016, Jazira Canton introduced a "self-defense duty" conscription law for its self-defence forces, including an avoidance fee for residents of age for mandatory military service who have moved to Europe, to pay $ 200 for each year of absence upon their return. In September 2015, the legislative council passed the Law for the Management and Protection of the Assets of the Refugees and
2236-726: The right to teach and be taught in their native language. Religions practiced in the region are Islam , Christianity and Yazidism . The majority of the Arabs and Kurds in the region are Sunni Muslim. Between 20 and 30% of the people of Al-Hasakeh governorate are Christians of various churches and denominations. Cities and towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants according to the 2004 Syrian census are Hasakah (188,160), Qamishli (184,231), Amuda (26,821), Al-Malikiyah (26,311), Al-Qahtaniyah (16,946), Al-Shaddadah (15,806), Al-Muabbada (15,759), Al-Sabaa wa Arbain (14,177) and Al-Manajir (12,156). The Jazira region has been home to one of
2288-453: The spring festival of Newroz . With the civil war and the Rojava conflict from 2011, the city grew into a major political role, being the de facto capital of the AANES . Part of the city, as well as an area to the south which includes Qamishli Airport , remain under the administration of the Syrian government . Unlike many Syrian cities, Qamishli has not seen large-scale fighting during
2340-489: The taxes for pasturage, marriages, horses, vineyards, and orchards. [...] The officers of the divan of Diarbeker are the defterdar of the treasury with a ruz-namji (journal writer); a defterdar of the feudal forces an inspector ( emin ), and a lieutenant kehiya of the defter, and another for the chavushes ; a secretary ( katib ), a colonel, and a lieutenant colonel of the militia". After Reşid Mehmet Pasha assumed as Wāli in 1834, he led military campaigns against
2392-469: The war, although it has been attacked by unknown perpetrators in 2015 and by Islamic State in 2016 , as well as brief skirmishes between AANES and Syrian forces in 2016 and 2018 . Qamishli is home to Chirkin prison, which houses detained Islamic State militants. On 17 August 2020, Syrian forces reportedly clashed with US troops near Qamishli, which resulted in the death of one Syrian. Two other Syrian soldiers were said to have been injured during
2444-539: Was Najjar, established the Asfar & Najjar Corporation, a company that produced wheat in Qamishli. Throughout the 1920s–1940s, the Asfar & Najjar Corporation funded hospitals, Assyrian schools, and churches throughout the city. At the same time, many Armenians and Assyrians , fleeing persecution in Iraq and Turkey, moved into the region. This was followed by the emigration of Kurds from Turkey, most of whom settled in
2496-485: Was a Christian-majority city for much of its history. In the 1930s it is estimated that out of the town's population of 23,000 individuals, 20,000 of those were Christians. Before the civil war , the Christian population of Qamishli was about 40,000, of whom 25,000 belonged to the Syriac Orthodox Church , the biggest church in the city. As of 2014 it was believed that half of all Christians had left
2548-452: Was heavily settled by refugees from the Assyrian genocide . Assyrians were the majority in the city until the 1970s, when Kurds from the surrounding countryside moved into the city in numbers. Qamishli is renowned for its large Christmas parade, and Newroz and Kha b-Nisan festivals. In March 2004, during a chaotic soccer match, the Qamishli riots began when visiting Arab fans from Deir ez-Zor started praising Saddam Hussein to taunt
2600-444: Was initially a small village inhabited by Assyrians called ܒܝܬ ܙܠܝ̈ܢ ( Bēṯ Zālīn ) meaning "House of Reeds". The modern name is the Turkish calque of this name. Kamış means "reed" and -lı suffix denotes "place with" in Turkish . The city dates back to the 1920s, when a sizable amount of Assyrians, escaping the Assyrian genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire , fled from northwestern Iran and southern Turkey and built
2652-423: Was succeeded by the Kurdistan Eyalet . The 17th-century traveller Evliya Çelebi reported on the organization of the eyalet: "In this province there are nineteen sanjaks and five hakumets (or hereditary governments) [...] eight [sanjaks] were at the time of the conquest conferred on Kurdish begs with the patent of family inheritance for ever. Like other sanjaks they are divided into ziamets and timars ,
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#17327759593852704-540: Was the Reshwan confederation, which was initially based in Adıyaman Province but eventually also settled throughout Anatolia. The Milli confederation, mentioned in 1518 onward, was the most powerful group and dominated the entire northern Syrian steppe in the second half of the 18th century. Danish writer C. Niebuhr who traveled to Jazira in 1764 recorded five nomadic Kurdish tribes (Dukurie, Kikie, Schechchanie, Mullie and Aschetie) and six Arab tribes (Tay, Kaab, Baggara, Geheish, Diabat and Sherabeh). According to Niebuhr,
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