Battle of Sulukh

Battle of Sulukh
The battle site in 2013
Date 27 May 1907 Location Sulukh, Turkey Result Pyyrhic Turkish Victory
Belligerents
Armenian fedayis	Turks
Commanders and leaders
Gevorg Chavush	Cherkez Keosse Binbashi
Strength
80	2000
Casualties and losses
44 dead, including 23 non-combanants	120 dead
[1]

Battle of Sulukh was fought between Armenian fedayis and Turkish forces on 27 May 1907. It is most notable for being the conflict that led to the death of Gevorg Chavush.

At that time, Sulukh was a small village of around a hundred houses on the road from Erzurum to Muş. The fedayi entourage was camping there overnight, when the Turks attacked them. The Armenians were besieged by the Turks. At the start of the battle, the resistance of the Armenians was successful. However, after a massive Turkish attack, the Turks had captured the village. During the defense, Gevorg Chavush was wounded (which later caused his death). Nevertheless, the death of the colonel Keosse Binbashi, the Turks were panicking, as a result of which, Armenians launched a surprise attack, and the fedayeen were able to rescue the body of Gevorg Chavush.

The Armenians lost 3 fedayeen, 18 inexperienced village fighters and 23 non-combatants. 7 more fedayeen were wounded.^[1] Gevorg Chavush was severely wounded in the battle, and died soon after.^[2]

The Turks lost their colonel (Cherkez Keosse Binbashi), 2 captains, 5 officers, 110 soldier, 1 police chief and 1 doctor.^[1] The Turks retrieved Gevorg's body and gave, and gave a state funeral to both him and their own colonel.^[1]

References