Sack of Tabriz

The city of Tabriz in South Azerbaijan changed hands between the Ottomans and Russia several times during World War I.

Occupation of Tabriz
Part of World War I - Iranian Front
Date March 1917 - August 23, 1918 Location Tabriz, Iran Result Ottoman-Kurdish victory
Belligerents
Qajars Iranian Cossack Brigade Armenian Volunteer Brigades Syriac Volunteers Great Britain  • Syriac volunteers	Ottoman Shikak Tribe	Urmia Governorate (1918) Local Muslim Tribes
Commanders and leaders
Ahmad Shah Qajar Reza Pahlavi	Enver Pasha Simko shikak	Arshad al-Muk
Casualties and losses
Over 5,000 Persian, Assyrian and Christian civilians killed by Kurdish tribesmen

Events

1914

At the beginning of the war, Tabriz had been in the hands of Russian forces since the Russian invasion in 1911. On June 31, 1914, three days after the war began, the Iranian government declared its neutrality. Despite this, when the Russians began their operations in the autumn, they sent an additional 50,000 soldiers to the force already in South Azerbaijan, increasing the number to 60,000.

1915

On January 2, 1915, while the Battle of Sarikamis in Caucasus was ongoing, the Ottomans began an expedition into Iran, forcing the Russian forces to retreat to Julfa. During this expedition, the Ottoman forces occupied Tabriz.

With new forces, the Russians defeated the Ottoman forces south of Julfa and regained control of Tabriz in early February 1915. The Russians advanced westward, occupying Urmia and advancing as far as Lake Van. At the same time, the Russians entered central Iran, occupying Qazvin, Karaj and Tehran.

1917

After the February Revolution of 1917, the Russian forces in the front lines dispersed and began to withdraw from Iran. Ottoman forces moved swiftly and occupied South Azerbaijan and Tabriz.

1918

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland They remained in Tabriz until 23 August 1918, despite British efforts to force their withdrawal.