Yalova Peninsula massacres
Series of massacres during 1920–1921 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Yalova Peninsula massacres were a series of massacres during 1920–1921, the majority of which occurred during March – May 1921. They were committed by local Greek and Armenian bands with the invading Hellenic Army,[1][6] against the Turkish Muslim population of the Yalova Peninsula.[6] There were 27 villages burned and in Armutlu.[1] According to journalist Arnold J. Toynbee c. 300 Muslims were killed during April–July 1921.[2] In an Ottoman inquiry of 177 survivors in Constantinople, the number of victims reported was very low (35), which is in line with Toynbee's descriptions that villagers fled after one to two murders.[9] Moreover, approximately 1,500 out of 7,000 Muslims remained in the region after the events[3] or 6,000 had left Yalova where 16 villages had been burned.[4] On the other hand, Ottoman and Turkish documents on massacres claim that at least 9,100 Muslim Turks were killed.[10]
Yalova Peninsula Massacres | |
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Part of the Greco-Turkish War (1919–22) | |
Map of targeted villages and towns on the peninsula | |
Location | ![]() present-day Yalova and Bursa Province, Turkey |
Date | 1920–1921 |
Target | Muslim population (Turkish people, Muslim Georgians, Avar, Circassians and Laz people) |
Attack type | Mass murder |
Deaths | 27 villages burned,[1] estimates: 300 (April–July 1921)[2] Ottoman inquiry of 177 survivors reported 35 as killed, wounded, beaten, or missing.[1] 1,500 out of 7,000 Muslims remained in the region after the events[3] or 6,000 had disappeared.[4][5] |
Perpetrators | Hellenic Army[6] Groups of local Greeks, Armenians and Circassians[6][7][8] |
The high death toll in the events convinced Toynbee that the Greeks were unfit to rule over Turks.[11] An Inter-Allied commission, consisting of British, French, American and Italian officers,[lower-alpha 1] and headed by Maurice Gehri, the representative of the Geneva International Red Cross, and Arnold Toynbee went to the region to investigate the atrocities. Michael Smith claims that Circassian irregulars also took part in the massacres.[8]
One of the results was that refugees were transported to Allied-controlled Constantinople on ships.[3]