Simko Shikak revolt

Simko Shikak Revolt
Part of Iranian events of 1921

Simko (center)
Date 1919 to 1922
Location North eastern Persia
Result Persia Victory
Belligerents
Irregular Kurdish militias Qajars
Commanders and leaders
Simko Shikak

Seyyed Taha Shamzini

 Amir Ershad

Reza Shah
Strength
8,000 100,000
Casualties and losses
over 2,000 killed, captured and wounded 3,500 killed, captured and wounded
Total: 5,000 killed

Simko Shikak revolt relates to the Kurdish uprising, led by Simko Shikak in Qajar Persia during 1919-1922.

Contents

History

Early insurrection and the massacre of Assyrians

In March 1918, under the pretext of meeting for the purpose of cooperation, Simko arranged the assassination of the Assyrian Nestorian patriarch, Mar Shamon, ambushing him and his 150 guards, as Mar Shimon was entering his carriage. The patriarchal ring was stolen at this time and the body of the patriarch was only recovered hours later (Eye-witness Assyrian account of Daniel d-Malik Ismael, published in Tehran 1964).[1][2][3]

After the murder of Mar Shimun, the Hakkari Christians took revenge on the Muslim population of Salmas and most of the villages of Salmas County, while Simko and his men massacred Christians in Khoy. Christian brigades terrorized Christians as well as Muslims. A missionary described this period as a reign of terror for Muslims hard to imagine.[4] Simko also instigated the massacre of 1,000 Christians in Salmas.[5]

Revolt

By summer 1918, Simko had established his authority in the region west of Lake Urmia.[6] In 1919, Simko organized an army of 20,000 Kurds and managed to secure a self-governed area in northwestern Iran, centered in the city of Urmia. After taking over Urmia, Simko appointed Teymur Agha Shikak as the governor of the city. Later, he organized his forces to fight the Iranian army in the region and managed to expand the area under his control to the nearby towns and cities such as Mahabad, Khoy, Miandoab, Maku and Piranshahr in a series of battles.

In the battle of Gulmakhana, Kurdish forces under his command wrested control of Gulmakhana and the Urmia-Tabriz road from Iranian forces. In the battle of Shakaryazi, the commander of Iranian Army, General Amir Ershad was killed. In the battle of Miandoab, Reza Shah commander of Iranian Army, dispatched Khaloo Qurban to counter Kurdish expansion, but he was defeated and killed by Simko's forces in 1922. In the battle of conquest of Mahabad, Simko himself commanded his forces with the help of Seyyed Taha Shamzini. After a tough battle in October 1921, Iranian forces were defeated and their commander Major Malakzadeh along with 600 Iranian Gendarmeries was killed. Simko also conquered Maragheh and encouraged the Lurs tribes of western Iran to revolt.

At this time, government in Tehran tried to reach an agreement with Simko on the basis of limited Kurdish autonomy.[7] Simko had further organized a Kurdish army, which grew stronger becoming comparable to Iranian government forces. Since the central government could not control his activities, he continued to expand the area under his control and by 1922, cities of Baneh and Sardasht were under his administration.[8]

In the battle of sari Taj in 1922, Simko's forces could not resist the Iranian Army's onslaught in the region of Salmas and were finally defeated and the castle of Chari was occupied. The strength of the Iranian Army force dispatched against Simko was 10,000 soldiers.[9] Simko and one thousand of his mounted soldiers, took refuge in nearby Turkey, where they were forced to lay down their weapons.

Aftermath

In 1930, the commander of Iranian Army General Hassan Muqaddam sent a letter to Simko, who was residing in the village of Barzan, and invited him for a meeting in the town of Oshnaviyeh. After consulting with his friends, Simko along with Khorshid Agha Harki went to Oshnaviyeh and were invited to the house of local army commander, Colonel Norouzi and were told to wait for the Iranian general. Colonel Norouzi convinced Simko to go to the outskirts of the town to welcome the general's arrival. However, this was a trap and Simko was ambushed and killed on the evening of June 30, 1930.

Foreign involvement

British

Tehran repeatedly accused Britain (and Iraq) of encouraging unrest, and deeply resented the asylum given by Iraq to Simko in 1922 and to Sardār Rašid in 1923.[10]

Turkey

According to The NewYork Times, July 10, 1922:

It is said that Simko commanded 85000 men and was assisted by Mustapha Kemal Pasha , former Turkish war minister...[11]

Simko's forces joined with the Ottoman forces during their massacres of Christians in West Azerbaijan.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ M. Th. Houtsma, E. van Donzel, E. J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936, 1993, ISBN 90-04-08265-4, p.118
  2. ^ Maria T. O'Shea, "Trapped Between the Map and Reality: Geography and Perceptions of Kurdistan", Routledge, 2004. pg 100: Simko later arranged the assassination of Mar Shamon, the Assyrian patriarch in March 1918, under the pretext of a meeting to discuss cooperation.
  3. ^ Mordechai Nisan, "Minorities in the Middle East: A History of Struggle and Self-Expression", McFarland, 2002, pg 187: Simko, their leader in Persia, had invited Mar Shimon for conference in Kuhnehshahr, west of Salmas, kissed him -- and then treacherously murdered the Nestorian patriarch and his men
  4. ^ John Joseph, "The Modern Assyrians of the Middle East: Encounters With Western Christian Missions, Archaeologists, and Colonial Power (Studies in Christian Mission) (Hardcover)", BRILL, 2000. p. 147
  5. ^ Maria T. O'Shea, "Trapped Between the Map and Reality: Geography and Perceptions of Kurdistan", Routledge, 2004. pg 100: "Simultaneously, a 1000 Christians were killed in Salmas, in a massacre instigated by Simko"
  6. ^ W. G. Elphinston, The Kurdish Question, International Affairs, Vol.22, No.1, pp.91-103, 1946. page 97
  7. ^ The Kurds in Iran, By David McDowall, 1991.
  8. ^ F. Koohi-Kamali, Nationalism in Iranian Kurdistan in The Kurds: A Contemporary Overview, Ed. By P.G.Kreyenbroek, and S. Sperl, 252 pp., Routledge, 1992, ISBN 0-415-07265-4 pp.175,176
  9. ^ S. Cronin, Riza Shah and the disintegration of Bakhtiyari power in Iran, 1921-1934, Iranian Studies, Vol.33, No.3-4, pp.349-376, Summer-Fall 2000 p. 353
  10. ^ Cronin, Stephanie. "BRITISH INFLUENCE DURING THE REŻĀ SHAH PERIOD, 1921-41". Encyclopedia Iranica. http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v11f3/v11f3001b.html. Retrieved 2008-09-21. 
  11. ^ KURDISH REPUBLIC FORMED.; Simko, Bandit Leader, Said to Have Defeated Persian Troops.
  12. ^ Eliz Sanasarian, "Religious Minorities in Iran", Cambridge University Press (May 22, 2000). pg 178: "Simko's forced joined with the Turks and killed many escaping Christians."