Inhabitants of a Hundred Villages all Assassinated

Armenians Being Massacred Wholesale by the Kurds in the East

Joint Official Statement Issued by Triple Entente

All Members of Government of Sublime Porte to be Held Personally Responsible for Deaths of Hundreds of Persons, It Is Declared

London, May 23, 11:17 pm – A joint official statement by Great Britain, France and Russia issued tonight says:

“For the past month Kurds and the Turkish population of Armenia have been engaged in massacring Armenians with the connivance and help of the Ottoman authorities.  Such massacres took place about the middle of April at Erzerum, Dertzbau, Moush, Zeitun and in all Cilicia.  

“The inhabitants of about 100 villages near Van were all assassinated.  In the town itself the Armenian quarter is besieged by Kurds.

“At the same time the Ottoman government at Constantinople is raging against the inoffensive Armenian population.

“In the face of these fresh crimes committed by Turkey the allied governments announce publicly to the sublime porte that they will hold all members of the government as well as such of their agents as are implicated personally responsible for such massacres.”