The Salmas massacre (Syriac: ܛܘܐ ܕܣܠܡܐ) was a massacre that occurred in 1918 during World War I, in which Kurdish Forces led by Simko Shikak attacked the Assyrian town of Salmas in northwestern Iran, killing approximately 1,000 Assyrians. The massacre was part of the Assyrian Genocide.
Massacre.
The Salmas Massacre took place in 1918 following the assassination of Mar Shimun XIX Benyamin, the Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, by Kurdish leader Simko Shikak. After the killing, violence escalated as Simko's forces launched attacks on the Assyrian population in Salmas.
The attackers raided Assyrian neighborhoods, looted homes, and massacred men, women, and children. Eyewitness accounts describe brutal killings, including beheadings and mass drownings. Estimates suggest that around 1,000 Assyrians were murdered.
Aftermath.
The Salmas Massacre led to mass displacement, the destruction of the Assyrian community, and a lasting legacy of loss and resilience.