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SALIH TASCI
Father’s Name: Mirza
Mother’s Name: Hane
Place of Birth: Van
Date of Birth: 1883
The Armenians who revolted by the Russian assistance began
to fight against the Muslims though they had lived together
for many years. Their intention was to steal our lands and
to establish an Armenian state. They had dugouts underground
and they were easily hiding in them after they killed the
Turks.
They tortured people especially in central Van and in the
castle. Their leader was a man called Aram Pasha. We were
defeated by them as they had rich ammunitions. Then we decided
to migrate to safer places as we did not want to suffer more
casualties.
Some people went to Bitlis by way of land and some went by
sea. The ones who stayed were all killed. The refugees of
Van were spread everywhere in country. From Bitlis to Diyarbakir,
Elazig, Nazilli, Burdur... However, the Armenians undertook
massacres in the villages of Van.
In those villages the Armenians and the Russians closed the
roads. They killed all the men and raped all the women there.
Later, Armenian bandits gathered in Van and carried massacres
out there too. In short, it was like the doomsday. In Lake
Van there were sailing boats. They really tortured so much
that they got bored from killing people. They put the people
into the boats and threw them in to the lake.
Those Armenians nailed our elders to the walls from their
hands and foreheads. We resisted them as much as we could
do and fought. We did everything necessary. But, we never
touched any Armenian child or women; we just fought against
men. Armenians were so cruel. After I returned from the Iranian
Front in 1921, I found Van in a ruin. All the Turkish districts
were burnt by the Armenians and the Russians; all the Muslim
properties were plundered. But, the Armenian houses were still
standing out. Van was empty. Later, the Muslims returned one
by one. Everybody began to rebuild his house; we have rebuilt
the city.
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