Khanasor Expedition
Encyclopedia
The Khanasor Expedition was an attack by an Armenian irregular unit
against the Kurdish
Mazrik tribe on July 25, 1897. In 1896, in the aftermath of the Defense of Van
, the Mazrik tribe had ambushed and slaughtered many of the Armenian defenders of Van as they were retreating into Persia. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation
decided to retaliate for that atrocity, resulting in the Khanasor Expedition.
and its ambush on the defenders of Van. The Mazrik tribe were camped in the fields of Khanasor, near Avarayr
. The ARF, with the support of the Hunchakians and the Armenakan
s, organized an attack on the tribe. The operation was the brainchild of Nigol Douman alongside "Khanasora" Vartan Mehrpanian and Ishkhan Arghoutian, all of whom participated as commanders of the operation. On 25 July 1897, at dawn, 150 Armenian fedayees attacked the Mazrik tribe, killing all the men and sparing only the women and children. The Mazrik chief, Sharaf Beg, managed to escape through the darkness. The attack ended on 27 July 1897.
and 25 other fedayees were among the casualties, the Khanasor expedition was a small triumph for the Armenians, both militarily and morally. As a result, Armenians built up their self-confidence; their belief in their ability to defend themselves was now reinforced. To this day, the ARF remembers the event in commemorative ceremonies honouring the expedition as an important event in the history of the Armenian struggle for freedom.
Armenian irregular units
Armenian irregular units, also known as Fedayees were Armenian civilians who left their families to form armed brigades. Armenian fedayees were volunteers and, literally, "one who is ready to sacrifice his life" for his people)...
against the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
Mazrik tribe on July 25, 1897. In 1896, in the aftermath of the Defense of Van
Defense of Van
The 1896 Defense of Van or Van Rebellion was an act of self-defense by the Armenian population in Van against the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire in June 1896.- Background :...
, the Mazrik tribe had ambushed and slaughtered many of the Armenian defenders of Van as they were retreating into Persia. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
decided to retaliate for that atrocity, resulting in the Khanasor Expedition.
Event
About a year after the events of the Ottoman Bank takeover, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation decided to retaliate and "punish" the Kurdish Mazrik tribe for its role in the Hamidian massacresHamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres , also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the dead ranging from anywhere between 80,000 to 300,000, and at least 50,000 orphans as a result...
and its ambush on the defenders of Van. The Mazrik tribe were camped in the fields of Khanasor, near Avarayr
Avarayr Plain
The Avarayr Plain is the location of the Battle of Avarayr in 451, and is described as being along the banks of the Ṭłmut River , apparently the Armeno-Persian frontier at that time. At the time, the Avarayr plain was part of the Armenian region of Vaspurakan. The plain is located today in...
. The ARF, with the support of the Hunchakians and the Armenakan
Armenakan
Armenakan may denote:*Armenian Democratic Liberal Party , historically known as the Armenakan Party from 1885 until 1921*Armenakan-Democratic Liberal Party, an Armenian Party established in 2009 as a splinter group from the Armenian Liberal Democratic Party...
s, organized an attack on the tribe. The operation was the brainchild of Nigol Douman alongside "Khanasora" Vartan Mehrpanian and Ishkhan Arghoutian, all of whom participated as commanders of the operation. On 25 July 1897, at dawn, 150 Armenian fedayees attacked the Mazrik tribe, killing all the men and sparing only the women and children. The Mazrik chief, Sharaf Beg, managed to escape through the darkness. The attack ended on 27 July 1897.
Results
Although ARF founder Rosdom's brother GaroGaro
-Garo People and languages :* Garo , a tribe in India and Bangladesh.* Bodo-Garo languages, a small family of Tibeto-Burman languages spoken in eastern India,** Garo language, the language spoken by the Garo tribe...
and 25 other fedayees were among the casualties, the Khanasor expedition was a small triumph for the Armenians, both militarily and morally. As a result, Armenians built up their self-confidence; their belief in their ability to defend themselves was now reinforced. To this day, the ARF remembers the event in commemorative ceremonies honouring the expedition as an important event in the history of the Armenian struggle for freedom.