Battle of Ganja (1918)

The Battle of Ganja (Azerbaijani: Gəncə döyüşü; Armenian: Գանձայի ճակատամարտը; Turkish: Gence Muharebesi) took place between Armenians and Ottoman–Azerbaijani forces, and Ganja was ultimately captured 14 June 1918.

 Campaign 
After the region was cleared of Armenian armed groups, the units passed through the Qazakh and Tovuz regions amid strong public support and reached Ganja on 9–10 June, where they were placed under the command of the Caucasian Islamic Army. The remaining elements of the division arrived in Ganja gradually by 15 June. The local population welcomed the Turkish soldiers with great enthusiasm, offering sacrifices, and the city was decorated with Ottoman and Azerbaijani flags. Thus, a genuine regular army capable of fighting on the Muslim side was formed.

Nuru Pasha decided that the Armenian population in the capital had to be brought under control by collecting their weapons. Once the 9th Caucasian Regiment under Major Jamil Jahid Bey and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment under Major Zihni Bey arrived in Ganja, they were organized under the name “Ganja Detachment.” According to various sources, in the summer of 1918 the Caucasian Islamic Army included approximately 4,000–5,000 Azerbaijani fighters. Overall, the army numbered around 10,000 men, of whom about 6,000 were Ottoman and 4,000 Azerbaijani Turks. By early September, this number had increased further.

The Ganja Detachment began operations to ensure the disarmament of the Armenians and their submission to the authorities. On the night of 10 June, the unit crossed the Ganjachay River and surrounded the Armenian quarter from the rear, and by the morning of 11 June the siege was fully in place. In nearby Yelenendorf (present-day Goygol), German settlers had formed a militia to protect themselves from the prevailing disorder. Following negotiations, the German militia agreed to cooperate with the Ganja Detachment and was deployed along the Zurnabad–Hajikend line. This cut off contact between the Armenian villages and secured the rear of the detachment. The German militia units operated under the supervision of Turkish officers.

 Main Battle 
After control was established in several villages south of the city, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment took positions at the entrance to the Armenian quarter. Several Armenians captured there provided information about the situation inside the quarter and the armed militias. Subsequently, First Lieutenant Salahaddin Bey and Samad Bey entered the Armenian quarter and demanded the surrender of weapons. The Armenians responded by opening fire. Moreover, militants who had previously been positioned among the gardens launched intense gunfire and attacked. As a result of this unexpected assault, some units of the 9th Caucasian Regiment were forced to withdraw. In this clash, 13 soldiers of the Ganja Detachment were killed, while one officer and seven soldiers were wounded.

Mucip Kemalyeri, a Turkish officer who took part in the operation to disarm the Armenians of Ganja, later described the events in his memoirs. He stated that once the deadline for surrender expired, military operations began. As soon as they entered the streets, they were surrounded, and gunfire came from all directions, even from the trees. Taking advantage of the situation, 20–30 Armenians launched a close-range attack, leading to intense street fighting. Officers fired their pistols while the soldiers repelled the attackers before even having time to fix bayonets. After a brief but fierce engagement, the assailants withdrew. The Turkish units then used the opportunity to retreat slowly with around ten wounded, though they were forced to leave behind the bodies of four fallen soldiers from the leading squad. The Armenians reportedly left up to fifteen dead.

Following this incident, the Armenian quarter was completely encircled. During the siege, a priest, a civilian, and an officer approached Major Jamil Jahid Bey, stating that they were willing to surrender their weapons but feared attacks by the local population of Ganja. Major Jamil Jahid Bey guaranteed their safety and granted time until the evening for the handover of arms. Meanwhile, reports reached headquarters that approximately fifteen Turkish soldiers surrounding the quarter had been brutally killed.

Nuru Pasha sent a letter to the Armenians through a German intermediary from Yelenendorf, demanding an immediate ceasefire and unconditional surrender, warning that the quarter would otherwise be subjected to artillery fire. Ignoring the warning, the Armenians attempted to break the siege but were repelled by cavalry units. Surrender was again demanded by 5:00 p.m., yet resistance continued. It was then announced that artillery bombardment would begin after 6:00 p.m. and that all armed individuals would be executed. However, it was ultimately decided to postpone the operation until the following morning.

At dawn the next day, the siege perimeter was tightened and several artillery rounds were fired toward the quarter. In a final letter to the Armenian leadership, Nuru Pasha firmly demanded the immediate surrender of weapons, warning that military measures would be enforced if the arms were not handed over two hours before sunset. At the same time, the Command of the Caucasian Islamic Army did not intend to destroy the quarter. Realizing the futility of continued resistance, the Armenians decided to surrender. Turkish forces entered the Armenian quarter and fully secured control on 13–14 June, collecting all weapons.

 Result 
This event marked the first armed clash involving Turkish soldiers in Azerbaijan. The fallen soldiers were buried in the Ganja cemetery in a ceremonial funeral attended by their comrades and local residents. During the Soviet period, these graves were destroyed.

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