Qamishli
Encyclopedia
Qamishli is a city in north eastern Syria
on the border with Turkey, adjoining the Turkish city of Nusaybin, and close to Iraq
. It is part of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, and is the administrative capital of the Al Qamishli District
within the governorate.
Al Qamishli, originally an Assyrian/Syriac city, in modern times is of mixed ethnic groups predominantly Kurdish
, Assyrians/Syriacs and Arabs. The Christians of the city mainly consist of Assyrians/Syriacs and Armenians
. The city was founded by Assyrians/Syriacs fleeing Seyfo in modern Turkey
. Today Kurds, Assyrians/Syriacs, Arabs and Armenians
(about 8,500 form which 2,000 are Armenian Catholics
) live side by side in the city.
Al Qamishli was also home to a significant Jewish community
. In the 1930s the Jewish population of Al Qamishli numbered 3,000. Since 1947, the situation of the Jews of Al Qamishli deteriorated. All Jews employed in government offices were sacked. Many Jewish women were imprisoned and beaten with the approval of the authorities. Massive immigration of Jews from Syria peaked due to violence, such as Aleppo pogrom. By 1963, the community had dwindled to 800 persons, and after the Six-Day War
it went down further to 150.
, located near the area of ancient Hurrian city of Urkesh
which was founded during the fourth millennium BC.
The modern city was founded in 1926 as a railway station on the Taurus railway.
Qamishli is the largest town in Hassake province and it is regarded as the secret capital of the Kurds, the Assyrians/Syriacs also claim it to be their community capital. It is also the centre of the Syrian Kurdish problem.
In March 2004, during a chaotic soccer match, a riot started when some people started raising separatist Kurdish flags, hailing Barzani
and Talabani and US President George W. Bush
, turning the match into political conflict. The riot expanded out of the stadium and weapons were used against police and civilians of non-Kurdish background. In the aftermath, at least 30 Kurds were killed as the security services re-took the city. The event became known as "Qamishli massacre".
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 Kurds. In March 2008, according to Human Rights Watch
, Syrian security forces opened fire at Kurds celebrating spring festival of Newroz and gathering for reviving the 2004 riot in Qamishli. The shooting left three people dead.
The city is renowned for throwing a large Christmas parade every year in December, and celebrating Newroz festival by a large crowd every year in March.
, with IATA code
KAC.
Chemins de Fer Syriens
(the Syrian railroad company) operates a freight and passenger railway service to other parts of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
on the border with Turkey, adjoining the Turkish city of Nusaybin, and close to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. It is part of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, and is the administrative capital of the Al Qamishli District
Al Qamishli District
Al Qamishli District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Al-Hasakah Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 423,368. Its capital city is the city of Al Qamishli....
within the governorate.
Demographics
As of the 2004 Census, the city's population was 232,258.Al Qamishli, originally an Assyrian/Syriac city, in modern times is of mixed ethnic groups predominantly Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
, Assyrians/Syriacs and Arabs. The Christians of the city mainly consist of Assyrians/Syriacs and Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
. The city was founded by Assyrians/Syriacs fleeing Seyfo in modern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Today Kurds, Assyrians/Syriacs, Arabs and Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
(about 8,500 form which 2,000 are Armenian Catholics
Armenian Catholic Church
|- |The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church sui juris in union with the other Eastern Rite, Oriental Rite and Latin Rite Catholics who accept the Bishop of Rome as spiritual leader of the Church. It is regulated by Eastern canon law...
) live side by side in the city.
Al Qamishli was also home to a significant Jewish community
Syrian Jews
Syrian Jews are Jews who inhabit the region of the modern state of Syria, and their descendants born outside Syria. Syrian Jews derive their origin from two groups: from the Jews who inhabited the region of today's Syria from ancient times Syrian Jews are Jews who inhabit the region of the modern...
. In the 1930s the Jewish population of Al Qamishli numbered 3,000. Since 1947, the situation of the Jews of Al Qamishli deteriorated. All Jews employed in government offices were sacked. Many Jewish women were imprisoned and beaten with the approval of the authorities. Massive immigration of Jews from Syria peaked due to violence, such as Aleppo pogrom. By 1963, the community had dwindled to 800 persons, and after the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
it went down further to 150.
History
Qamishli is situated at the base of the Taurus MountainsTaurus Mountains
Taurus Mountains are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, dividing the Mediterranean coastal region of southern Turkey from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğirdir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the east...
, located near the area of ancient Hurrian city of Urkesh
Urkesh
Urkesh or Urkish is a tell, or settlement mound, located in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains in Al-Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria...
which was founded during the fourth millennium BC.
The modern city was founded in 1926 as a railway station on the Taurus railway.
Qamishli is the largest town in Hassake province and it is regarded as the secret capital of the Kurds, the Assyrians/Syriacs also claim it to be their community capital. It is also the centre of the Syrian Kurdish problem.
In March 2004, during a chaotic soccer match, a riot started when some people started raising separatist Kurdish flags, hailing Barzani
Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
and Talabani and US President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, turning the match into political conflict. The riot expanded out of the stadium and weapons were used against police and civilians of non-Kurdish background. In the aftermath, at least 30 Kurds were killed as the security services re-took the city. The event became known as "Qamishli massacre".
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 Kurds. In March 2008, according to Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, Syrian security forces opened fire at Kurds celebrating spring festival of Newroz and gathering for reviving the 2004 riot in Qamishli. The shooting left three people dead.
The city is renowned for throwing a large Christmas parade every year in December, and celebrating Newroz festival by a large crowd every year in March.
Climate
Petroleum
Al Qamishli has recently experienced an economic boom due to the exploration of petroleum in the Qarah Shuk region 80 km east of Al Qamishli.Transportation
It has an international airport, Kamishly AirportKamishly Airport
Kamishly Airport is an airport serving Kamishly , a city in northeastern Syria.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 03/21 with an asphalt surface measuring ....
, with IATA code
IATA airport code
An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier, is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association...
KAC.
Chemins de Fer Syriens
Chemins de Fer Syriens
Chemins de Fer Syriens is the national railway operator for the state of Syria, headquartered in Aleppo.-History:The first railway in Syria opened when the country was part of the Ottoman Empire, with the gauge line from Damascus to the port city of Beirut in present day Lebanon opened in 1895...
(the Syrian railroad company) operates a freight and passenger railway service to other parts of Syria