This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (June 2026) |
The Battle of Surmalu was a battle in the Turkish invasion of Armenia, lasting from October 24–30, 1920. The sides involved were the First Republic of Armenia, which was commanded by Drastamat Kanayan, and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey with Kurdish volunteers.[6]
| Battle of Surmalu | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Turkish–Armenian War | |||||||||
 Armenian soldiers in the Ararat regiment. | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Armenia | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Drastamat Kanayan Col. Kuro Tarkhanian Col. Khudabashian Lt. Col. Halberian |
Kâzım Karabekir[1] Cavid Bey | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
9th Infantry Regiment[3] 10th Infantry Regiment[5] |
11th Caucasus Division[3] 34th Regiment[3] | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 3,000 regulars and 1,000 civilians[1] | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
130+ killed[6]
| Heavy[3] | ||||||||
Background
editThe Turks had launched an offensive into the Oltu district, pushing the poorly-equipped Armenian forces backward; Sarikamish was captured without much of a fight. The only fronts after that were the Surmalu (Iğdır) front, and the line of defense at Kars. The First Republic of Armenia had appointed Drastamat Kanayan to be in main command of the defense of the front.
First Turkish offensive
editOn October 24, a significant Turkish attack on Surmalu began before dawn, with the 34th Regiment targeting Iğdır,[3] the district seat, as well as the Markara and Karakala bridges that connect Yerevan and Etchmiadzin. Operations were carried out simultaneously in Kiulluk-Charukhchi, Sultanabad-Igdir, and Dashburun-Karakoy. Despite Kanayan's expedition defeating attacks from Sultanabad and Orgov, the struggle for the Araxes bridges lasted three days.[6]
Second Turkish offensive
editOn the second day, Armenian armored vehicles from Kanaker joined the group of Kuro Tarkhanian, breaching Turkish isolation in Igdir despite heavy machine-gun fire. Colonel Tarkhanian lost half of his 260 soldiers in harsh close-combat near Dalikdash before Turkish forces left on October 26. Meanwhile, the Turkish 11th Caucasus Division attacked the Karakala bridge but was unable to dislodge the defenders. They burned the bridge before fleeing.
Colonel Khudabashian, distinguished himself in these battles, driving the Turks and Kurds toward Kulp, up the slopes of Mount Ararat, and into the Bartoghi Mountains along the old Russo–Turkish frontier with the assistance of Colonel Tarkhanian's men and Lieutenant Colonel Halberian's newly formed 10th Infantry Regiment. Kanayan's invading army established bases from the Karakala bridge to Verin and Nerkin Charukhchi, Yaidji, Khoshkhabar, the Igdir-Khalfalu road, Sultanabad, Mount Gasimtach, Dalikdash, Karakoyunlu, Dashburun, and Diza, constituting the battle.[3]
Aftermath
editWith the loyalty of the Armenian soldiers to their officers, the Armenians had a victory at Surmalu.[2] Although the Armenians would abandon their positions at Surmalu later on due to the Turkish capture of Kars, the two-day battle denied the Turks entry into the Surmalu region temporarily.
See also
editReferences
editCitations
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 Tatoyan, Gevorg (2023-10-30). "The Fall of Kars: October 30, 1920". Ani Armenian Research Center. Retrieved 2026-05-29.
- 1 2 Gevorgyan, Hamlet M.; Ghazaryan, Arthur S. (March 31, 2016). "Battle of Surmalu – 2016-1". Vem Academic Journal. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hovannisian 1996, p. 249
- ↑ Herzig, Edmund; Kurkchiyan, Marina (2004). The Armenians: Past and Present in the Making of National Identity. Routledge. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-135-79836-9 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Hovannisian 1996, p. 239
- 1 2 3 Hovannisian 1996, p. 250
Sources
edit- Hovannisian, Richard G. (1996). The Republic of Armenia, Vol. IV: Between Crescent and Sickle, Partition and Sovietization. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-08804-2.
- Herzig, Edmund; Kurkchiyan, Marina (2004). The Armenians: Past and Present in the Making of National Identity. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-79836-9.