The Saga of Bahdi Keryo: A Leader Forged in Fire

A series about influential Syriacs in the modern history of Syria

A Flight from Slaughter

Bahdi’s tale starts in Wiranshahr, a city nestled in what is now southeastern Turkey, once a cradle of Syriac heritage. In the early 20th century, the Ottoman state unleashed the horrors of the Sayfo massacres 1915, targeting Christians—Armenians, Assyrians, and Syriacs alike. Bahdi, a respected elder of his community, found himself ensnared in a deadly trap. The regional governor, feigning hospitality, invited the notables of Wiranshahr, including Bahdi’s four brothers, to a lavish dinner. But the feast was a ruse. As the meal unfolded, the governor’s men drew their blades, slaughtering the guests at the table. Only a loyal servant escaped the carnage, racing to Bahdi’s home with a chilling warning: “Your brothers are dead, and they’re coming for you next.”

With no time to gather gold or treasures, Bahdi made a fateful decision. He gathered the remaining family members, women, and children, fleeing under the cover of night. They crossed the border into present-day Syria, arriving at Ras al-Ain, a city just opposite Wiranshahr. There, in the dusty refuge of a new land, Bahdi’s journey of survival and leadership began anew.

A New Beginning in Ras al-Ain

In Ras al-Ain, Bahdi wasted no time. Drawing on his family’s legacy as merchants and contractors—once tobacco traders and guardians of streetlights in Wiranshahr—he built a khan, a bustling commercial hub and inn. Travelers found rest there, their horses cared for, while the local community flocked to buy goods. Bahdi’s khan became a lifeline, a testament to his knack for turning hardship into opportunity.

When the French arrived in Syria in 1920, occupying the region under their mandate, they sought local partners to supply their troops with food, drink, and bread. Bahdi stepped forward, becoming a contractor for the French army. His sharp mind and reliability earned him a steady income, and he began acquiring agricultural land, laying the foundation for a new life.

The Rise in Al-Hasakah

By 1924, Bahdi’s ambitions drew him to Al- Hasakah, a modest settlement destined to grow into a city. He arrived with some wealth from Ras al-Ain and a vision for progress. Al-Hasakah, with its mix of Syriac Christians, Kurds, Arabs, and Armenians, offered both opportunity and challenge. Bahdi, whose ancestors hailed from the Arbo region and had migrated to the Qalaat al-Umara centuries earlier before settling in Wiranshahr, felt a deep connection to this land.

He threw himself into trade and agriculture, innovating relentlessly. He built mills to grind grain, ovens to bake bread, and even an ice factory—a marvel in a time before refrigerators reached rural Syria. In the 1940s, inspired by his eldest son Joseph, a lover of literature and art, Bahdi opened two cinemas, bringing the magic of film to Al-Hasakah. Alongside partners from the Loli family, he established an electricity company, illuminating homes until the Syrian state nationalized it in 1960. Bahdi’s ingenuity transformed Al-Hasakah, earning him admiration and influence.

A Leader of Many Tribes

Bahdi Keryo was more than a merchant—he was a leader with a magnetic personality. Gentle yet persuasive, he commanded respect across communities. His first wife, an Armenian who survived the Sayfo only to pass away few years later, tied him to that resilient people. His second marriage strengthened his bonds with the region’s diverse clans—Syriac Christians, Kurdish aghas, Arab sheikhs, and Armenians alike. Bahdi’s charisma made him a bridge among all types of tribes, a man beloved by all.

His leadership shone brightest in the 1930s. Around 1933, he was elected Mayor of AL-Hasakah municipality, a role he filled with wisdom and grit. Fearing a repeat of past massacres, he armed a small militia of young Syriac men from his Qalaat al-Umara clan and allied tribes, determined to protect his people. The French dubbed him “the Fox of the Jazira” for his political cunning, navigating alliances with colonial officers, Syrian nationalists, and tribal leaders with equal finesse.

The Dream of a Syriac State

In 1936, a bold experiment unfolded. Alongside Elias Marsho, a Catholic Syriac leader, Bahdi declared an autonomous government in AL-Hasakah, backed by the French. Modeled after Lebanon’s Maronite state, it was a republic with Marsho as president and Bahdi as prime minister. They seized control of courts, police, and administration, ruling for 11 months. Some called it a Christian state, but Bahdi saw it differently—a Syriac nation-state, a homeland for the original people of Mesopotamia.

Yet the dream faltered. Tensions with Damascus, which viewed Al-Hasakah as a backwater, boiled over. Locals resented governors sent from the capital, and in a daring move, Bahdi’s men hid one such official, Tawfiq Shamia, in Bahdi’s home to put pressure on Damascus, showing that in Al-Hasakah they did not need a governor from Damascus; they wanted one from their own city. Joseph the son, fluent in French from his studies in Lebanon, delivered a letter from the governor to his family in Damascus, proving he was alive. The act forced negotiations, but the rift with Damascus persisted. Later, Tawfiq Shamia was respectfully sent back to his family.

A Father and Son’s Resolve

Joseph, Bahdi’s eldest son, was his confidant and right hand. Educated in Lebanon, he spoke French, Arabic, Kurdish, and some Syriac, blending his father’s pragmatism with a patriot’s zeal. Together, they wrestled with the state’s fate. Joseph argued for independence: “Why not build our Syriac nation?” But Bahdi, haunted by the Sayfo 1915 and the 1933 Simmele massacre in Iraq, foresaw peril. “If we rule, will our neighbors accept us? Will we doom our children to more bloodshed?” he asked. In a painful but wise choice, they dissolved the state, choosing coexistence over isolation.

The Final Temptation

In 1944, as World War II neared its end, Charles de Gaulle, the towering French leader, visited AL-Hasakah. Hosted by Bahdi, he proposed reviving the Christian state, offering weapons, planes, and barracks. Joseph, disguised as an Arab to slip into the French barracks, carried Bahdi’s refusal: “We will not build a sectarian state. We choose peace with our neighbors.” De Gaulle, disappointed, offered Joseph French citizenship, but he stayed loyal to Syria.

Legacy of a Fox

Bahdi Keryo died a legend, a man who turned tragedy into triumph, exile into empire. His innovations lit AL-Hasakah’s streets, his leadership united its tribes, and his choices spared it bloodshed. With Joseph by his side, he forged a legacy not of conquest, but of resilience—a Syriac leader who thrived in a fractured world.