The Ottoman Empire was responsible for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1917. It was the Armenians who were targeted by Ottoman Turks and Kurdish allies.

The Young Turks, a powerful organization in the decaying Ottoman Empire that would eventually create Turkey, orchestrated and committed the Armenian Genocide. They used Turkish soldiers and Kurdish irregulars to do this.

There were Kurdish militias that assisted the Young Turks in hunting down and butchering Armenians. Unlike the Turkish government, Kurdish leaders in subsequent decades have admitted their role in the genocide and requested forgiveness for their crime.

The main language spoken in Damascus, Syria is Arabic. Additionally, some residents may also speak Kurdish, Armenian, or Turkish.