Two families remain in the village where thousands lived in Mardin, Turkey - by Mehmet Masum Suer / SOPA Images
The village of Qillit (Dereici) is a historic Christian village near the Savur district of Mardin province in Turkey. There are only 2 Christian families left in Qillit village, which was once home to around 20,000 Christians from three denominations. The people of the village first started to migrate to different countries around the world during the Ottoman Empire in 1914. After the 1960s, the Christian community was forced to leave their village little by little due to the oppression they faced. The houses left behind by Christian families were vandalised and demolished, their belongings were stolen. One of the three churches in the village is open for worship, the other two are closed. The village of Qillit has been attracting tourists in recent years. Many tourists go to see the ruined village.
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