MASSACRES OF CIVILIAN MUSLIMS OF ERZINCAN

Article: ermenisorunu.gen.tr  ///  01.12.2019

MASSACRES OF CIVILIAN MUSLIMS OF ERZINCAN

 

 

3rd Army Command From Army Headquarters
Staff Office January 21, 1918
1st Division 1st Section
Number
Code
532
To: The Office of Commander-in-Chief The 2nd Army Command
1. The following are the summaries of the testimonies of the three people who were sent to Erzincan from Kemah a week ago: The Headquarters of the 1st Caucasian Corps 4th Turkestan Division have departed to Erzurum from Erzincan on January 13, 1918. There are only 150 Russian soldiers who could not have been transported yet; they are guarding the vehicles. Some 1.000 soldiers, young and elderly Armenian volunteers in irregular uniforms have been observed in Erzincan. They are under the command of Marat, one of the Daschnak leaders. There are no Georgians among the Armenians in Erzincan. Whether the Armenians have an orderly organization or not could not have been determined. Three howitzers have been observed in the church square in Erzincan. Other than the massacres, and pillaging and plundering committed by the Armenians the rapes are still being committed to the Muslim population. Armenians are publicly declaring that some 20.000 Armenian volunteers will be coming shortly from America to Erzincan along with a large amount of money printed in the name of the Armenian Government. The Russians set the large building that was formerly used as a hospital by them to fire during their withdrawal. We have been informed that the Russians are gradually withdrawing their units from Erzurum to Caucasus region.
2. It has also been heard that an Armenian gang had raided the Muslim Foska village, situated at a distance of three kilometers in the southeast of Ardasa, set the houses afire, plundered the houses, and raped the Muslim women; the people of the Zekgenç village, 18 kilometers in the southeast of Erzincan, have met the same end.
3. I hereby would like to declare that I have informed the Commander of the Russian Caucasus Army General Odichelidze, and the Commanderin- Chief of the Russian Caucasus Armies General Perjevaliski on the atrocities listed above, asking for the punishment of the guilty and prevention
of such incidents.
Coded
January 22
(Signed)