The demographics of this area underwent a huge shift in the early part of the 20th century . Ottoman authorities with the cooperation of Kurdish troops ( and to a lesser degree , Circassian and Chechen tribes ) persecuted Armenian and Assyrian Christians in Upper Mesopotamia and were granted their victims ' land as a reward . Kurds were responsible for most of the atrocities against Assyrians , and Kurdish expansion happened at the expense of Assyrians ( due to factors like proximity ) . Kurdish as well as Circassian and Chechen tribes cooperated with the Ottoman ( Turkish ) authorities in the massacres of Armenian and Assyrian Christians in Upper Mesopotamia , between 1914 and 1920 , with further attacks on unarmed fleeing civilians conducted by local Arab militias
Armenian
Armenian Genocide
Kurds in Syria