Teskilati Mahsusa
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Teskilati Mahsusa (Ottoman: Teşkilat-i Mahsusa) is an Ottoman imperial government organization established under "war department", which dealt with both Arab separatism and Western imperialism. [1] The institutionalization was accelerated after the Balkan Wars. It was used to suppress "subversion" and "possible collaboration" with the external enemy.
The first record of the organization dates back to 1903 and 1907. The official status was established in 1913, under the direction of war department. It was implemented as irregular fight unit, as a special forces outfit. The first commander was Enver Pasha and he recruited many talented officers. During World War I, the Ottoman command used it for special military operations in the Caucasus, Egypt, and Mesopotamia.
In 1915, for example, Special Organization units seized key oases along the Ottoman line of advance against the Suez Canal. During the World War I Eşref Kuşçubasi was director of Special Organization operations in Arabia, the Sinai, and North Africa. He was captured at Yemen in early 1917 by the British military and was a POW until 1920.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Philip H. Stoddard, (1963) "The Ottoman Government and the Arabs, 1911 to 1918: A Study of the Teskilat-i Mahsusa," Princeton University.
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