Avzrok - Armenian village in southern Kurdistan

(Text: "Orthodox Armenian Church of Avzrok" built in 2000-2001)

Avzarok in Kurdish) is a village in the Iraqi province of Dohuk. The village is split into two areas: one populated by Armenians and the other by Assyrians. The name of the village comes from the Kurdish language; av - water and zrog - yellow.


It was built for the first time in 1932 when the Armenians of Zakho and its suburbs decided to establish the village and settle in it. The village was subject of destruction in 1975. The Armenian inhabitants of Avzrog don't speak Armenian. They use Arabic and Kurdish languages instead. Despite this, Armenians in Avzrog maintain their Armenian social identity like folklore and names. Avzrog has a total population of about 300 people.
The village of Avzrog is located in the Sulaivany area in the western part of Dohuk. The Sulaivany area is situated between Sumail and the mountains south of Zakho. Avzrog is 30 km from Zakho.
It was built for the first time in 1932 when the Armenians of Zakho and its suburbs decided to establish the village and settle in it.

The village was destroyed in 1975 and the people were forced to flee. They were replaced by Arab tribes as a part of the arabization policy of Saddam Hussein’s regime. The arabisation policy was concentrated in the region of Sulaivany.

Following 1991, with northern Iraq out of control of the central regime protected by the UN and administered by a local government, the Arab tribes fled the region and went back to their original homes, mainly south of Mosul.

The Armenian inhabitants of Avzrog don't speak Armenian. They use the Kurdish language. Despite this, Armenians in Avzrog maintain their Armenian social identity like folklore and names.

Avzrog has a total population of about 300 people.