Maraş’s Defence

Abstract

After The Mondros Truce, before The French occupation of the city British troops occupied Maraş. After the French occupation, the local Turks formed The Commitee for the Defence of Laws to defend the city. The Commitee expanded its activities. For the defense of the city the commitee divided its organisation sectors into ten district areas. Each leader of the district consulted each other to defend the city. In October 30 1919, The French troops started to harras Müslim women in the second day of the occupation which caused The Sütçü İmam event. The Turkish flag hoisted över the city citadel was brought down, but after this The Turks succeeded to hoist the flag İn its place. After the flag incident, some Turks were arrested but later were released due to presures from the resistance groups from Elbistan and Pazarcık, In January 21,1920 the city branch of the commitee launched defensive fight to curb French and Armenian agression. At the end of the battle which lastedfor 22 days, French were forced to leave the city accompained by insurgent Armenians. Moved its headquarter from Elbistan to Maraş and the commitee joined the defense of Antep. At the end of the fight in Maraş the Turks had some 4.000 casualties and French and Armenian alliance lost some 16.000 lives.