1. Petros Elia of Baz, better known as Agha Petros, was an Assyrian military leader during World War I He is considered a national hero for the Assyrians and other Christian minorities in the Middle East, and became a terror to the Kurds, Turks and other Muslims.
Agha Petros Elia was born in 1 April 1880, in the village of Lower Baz, then part of the Ottoman Empire.
Agha Petros received his elementary education in his hometown before attending a European missionary school in Urmia, in Qajar Persia.
Agha Petros later gained a notable reputation for his leadership and strategic abilities throughout the course of the war.
Agha Petros later engaged and defeated forces of Ottoman and Kurds in a series of battles.
Agha Petros was later approached by the Allies and was given command of the left wing of the army of Assyrian volunteers.
Agha Petros's volunteers had quite a few successes over the Ottoman forces, notably at Suldouze where Petros' 1,500 horsemen overcame the forces of Kheiri Bey's.
Agha Petros defeated the Ottomans in a major engagement at Sauj Bulak and drove them back to Rowanduz.
Agha Petros reached Sain Kala seven days after the British detachment retired.
Agha Petros was the head negotiator for the Assyrians between 1919 and 1923.
Wigram mentions that Agha Petros was involved in fraudulent acts in British Columbia, where he resorted to collecting money purportedly for the building of an orphanage in Macedonia.
Agha Petros then returned to the Ottoman Empire and displayed his decoration from the Pope to local authorities to ask for a job at an Ottoman Consulate.
Some historians believe Agha Petros Elia was merely concerned by his own ambition.