The Emergence of Kurdish Nationalism and the Sheikh Said Rebellion, 1880-1925 by Robert Olson

The Emergence of Kurdish Nationalism and the Sheikh Said Rebellion, 1880-1925 by Robert Olson

Author:Robert Olson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: -
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Published: 2013-12-12T16:00:00+00:00


5. The Rebellion and Its Aftermath

WHEN THE Sheikh Said rebellion broke out prematurely on 8 February 1925, the rebel forces probably had around 15,000 fighting men. They were opposed initially by approximately 25,000 Turkish troops at ration strength, including the support troops not armed with rifles. If we accept the British intelligence calculation of a four to nine proportion between rifle and ration strength, the Turks were able to confront the rebels with less than 12,000 fighting men. By 1 April 1925, however, the Turks had some 52,000 ration strength in the area of rebellion, with close to 25,000 fighting men.

The rebellion broke out prematurely at a village called Piran. Sheikh Said was forced to declare general rebellion after there was an exchange of gunfire between his forces, which numbered over a hundred, and a gendarmerie force of ten men led by a lieutenant, Hasan Husni. The gendarmes were trying to arrest five outlaws who had taken refuge in Piran, seeking the protection of Sheikh Said. Said’s brother Abdurrahim seems to have been the one responsible for issuing the order to fire on the gendarmes that resulted in killing one and wounding two others, including the lieutenant. This incident apparently made Sheikh Said apprehensive of the actions that the Turkish army might take, so he declared rebellion. One of Sheikh Said’s supporters, Mudanli Faki Hasanh, was immediately appointed governor of the city.1

After the Piran incident, events quickly escalated. Sheikh Said’s continuing calls for rebellion, denunciation of the Ankara government, and support for Kurdish nationalism and for religion and the restoration of the caliphate were fresh in people’s minds. After the incident in Piran, the sheikh returned to the village of Serdi, where his brother Tahir lived. Plans were made to attack Lice, the district administrative center. On 10 February, Sheikh Tahir robbed the Lice post office; on 11 February, he robbed the Gence post office with a force of 200. After these two events, it was impossible to stop the progress toward full-scale rebellion.

Sheikh Said took control of the rebellion. He directed four of his commanders to capture Darahini on the south side of the Murat Su (Euphrates) River, which they did on 14 February, taking prisoner the vali and other civil servants. The same day, Sheikh Said issued a fetva that he was the emir al-mujahidin of the rebellion. In his fetva Sheikh Said emphasized that he was leader of the Nakçbandi tarikat and that he was the representative of the caliph and of Islam. He stated that he wanted everyone to join the holy crusade and become a holy fighter (mujahidin). Darahini was to be the temporary headquarters of a Nakşbandi caliphate. Captured Turkish soldiers were to be sent to Darahini; taxes were to be paid to his headquarters there; and fighters for the cause would be raised. Sheikh Said then assumed supreme leadership of the rebellion. There were to be four other main fronts, as described, at Melekan on 8 January. On 16 February, the sheikh left Darahini and moved south, galvanizing fighters along the way.



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