Agha Petros

Petros Elia of Baz (Syriac: ܐܝܠܝܐ ܦܹܛܪܘܼܣ) (April, 1880 – 2 February 1932), better known as Agha Petros, was an Assyrian military leader during World War I.

Early years

Petros Elia was born in the Lower Baz village, Ottoman Empire in 1880. There he received his elementary education before attending a European missionary school in the Iranian city of Urmia. After finishing his studies, he went back to his village of Baz and became a teacher there. It was thanks to his fluency in numerous languages, including Syriac, Turkish, Arabic, French, Persian, Kurdish, English, and Russian, he was appointed by the Ottomans as a secretary, and as a Consul in Urmia briefly in 1909.

World War I

After Russians Entered Urmia, Agha Petros was appointed as a general with a small Assyrian force under his command. He later successfully engaged forces of Ottoman and Kurds in a series of battles. He was later approached by the Allies and was given command of the left wing of the army of Assyrian Volunteers (the right wing being commanded by Mar Shimun’s brother David Shimunaia, the center being under the command of Mar Shimun).Joseph Naayem, Shall this Nation die?, Chaldean Rescue, New York, 1920, p277

His volunteers had quite a few successes over the Ottoman forces,...
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