Siege of Aintab

Siege of Aintab Part of the Franco-Turkish War A French army officer with five Turkish prisoners. On the officer's right is a soldier of the French Colonial Forces, and on his left (wearing epaulettes) is an auxiliary from the French Armenian Legion. Date 1 April 1920 - 8 February 1921[1] Location Aintab, Aleppo Vilayet, Ottoman Empire Result French victory[2] Belligerents Kuvva-i Milliye France French Armenian Legion Commanders and leaders Ali Kılıç Şahin Bey Şefik "Özdemir" Bey Henri Gouraud General Quérette Strength Total force:[3][4] [Note 1] 2.920 militia fighters, 6 machine guns,[5] 3 mountain guns[5] Total force:[3][4][Note 2] 20,000 French soldiers,[6] 1,500 Armenian soldiers, 4 tanks, 11 artillery batteries, 1,400 military animals,[5] 6 aircraft, 1 mobile hospital[5] Casualties and losses 6,317 killed (mostly civilians)[7] on September 10th: 1200 French soldiers, including 4 high rank officers, killed according to French Army sources[5]

The Siege of Aintab^[8][9] or Siege of Antep (Turkish: Antep Kuşatması) was a military engagement between the Turkish National Forces and the French Colonial Forces occupying the city of Aintab (present-day Gaziantep) during the Turkish War of Independence (specifically its southern front, known as the Franco-Turkish War).

Fighting began in April 1920, when French forces opened fire on city. Fighting continued until February 1921.^[10]

Notes

1. 2.070 armed and 850 unarmed fighters (=2.920)
2. In April 1920 the French forces consisted of 4,500 soldiers. With the arrival of 15,000 men in November 1920 the French siege force increased to: 13 infantry battalions and 1 cavalry regiment (=20,000 soldiers)

References

1. Sabahattin Selek, Millî Mücadele II: İstiklâl Harbi (Yeni Türk Devletinin kuruluşu), p. 19.
2. Proceedings of the annual meeting of the Western Society for French History, Volume 24, Western Society for French History, 1997, p. 206.
3. Article about the Siege of Aintab haber7, Serkan Bilge, 25.12.2008
4. "Gaziantep şehitlerinin anısı Savaş Müzesi'nde yaşatılıyor," Yeni Şafak, 14.08.2008 (Turkish)
5. Kilis'in Antep Müdafaasındaki Yeri, Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi (Atatürk Research Center): Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi Dergisi, Number 31, Edition: 11, March 1995 (Turkish)
6. Kerr, Stanley E. The Lions of Marash: Personal Experiences with American Near East Relief, 1919-1922. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1973, p. 222. ISBN 978-0-87395-200-2.
7. Bir 'mecbur adam'ın romanı, Radikal, 08.01.2010 (Turkish)
8. Şimşir, Bilâl, İngiliz Belgelerinde Atatürk, 1919-1938, Volume 3, Istanbul: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi, p. 168.
9. Documents on British foreign policy, 1919-1939, London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1970, vol. 15, p. 155.
10. Gesar, A. "Agony of a City: The 314 Days of Aintab," Pts. 1-2, Armenian Review 30/2-3 (Summer-Autumn 1977): pp. 115-47, 265-81.

Further reading

• Shepard, Dr. Lorin, "Fighting the Turks at Aintab," Current History 14/4 (July 1921).