Three Syriac villagers detained after gendarmerie raids in Turkey’s southeast

SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY – This morning, Jusef Yar, the mayor of Arkah (a Syriac village in the Tur Abdin region of Bethnahrin / Mardin Province in Turkey) was arrested following a raid by the Turkish Gendarmerie. At the same time, Turkish soldiers raided the Syriac Orthodox monastery of Yahqub d’Qarne and arrested monk Aho Delican. A third raid in the Syriac village of Sedari led to the arrest of Musa Taştekin.

After the concerted raids and arrests, the three men were initially detained at the police station in the village of Harabale and later transferred to Mardin.

Seven villagers of Arkah went to the police station to inquire about the situation and the reason for the arrests of the monk Aho Delican, mayor Jusef Yar, and Musa Taştekin.

Police did not give a reason for their arrest.