The Assyrian Democratic Organization
The inhabitants of the town of Dereek are Assyrians and Kurds (majority Kurdish since Assyrians have been leaving the area).
The Assyrian farmers were carrying 25 million liras (approximately $US 500,000) when they were killed in a brutal fashion. The money was not taken by the killers, rather left next to the bodies.
The bodies, seen only by the government officials and close friends, were mutilated. The identities of the murderers are still unknown.
In Syria and the Jazireh region in particular, the farmers collect their money from the sale of their crops at this time of the year, which may explain the amount carried by the victims.
