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TURKEY : THE BLIGHT OF ASIA

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MASSACRE OF THE FRENCH GARRISON AT UFRA

    THE facts of the massacre of the French garrison at Ufra, obtained from original sources, took place under the following conditions:

    The Nationalists had been besieging the small French force in Urfa during the early days of Apr11, 1920, and at length Commander Hauger was compelled to capitulate. On the eighth of April be decided to evacuate the city and did so under the following terms: That all Christians should have ample protection; That the houses occupied by the garrison should not be reoccupied by the Turks until the garrison had left the city; that the graves of the fallen should be respected that sufficient transport should be supplied to convey their arms, ammunition, etc.(Their own transport being sadly depleted.) One officer of the gendarme and ten men would accompany them for safe convoy.

    These were agreed to by the Mutessarif of Ufra and the commander of the Turkish Nationalist forces, but, notwithstanding this arrangement the French were attacked shortly after they had left the town and nearly annihilated.

    A native-born American who chanced to be in Urfa on relief work and who desired to proceed to Aleppo decided to accompany the ill-fated expedition and was an eye-witness of what happened. The following account may be interesting as a chapter of authentic history, never before published:

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The Blight of Asia in Print