War is Not Over in Mesopotamia

British find the Turks and Tribesmen Far From Conquered

Constantinople, March 1. – British forces in Mesopotamian oil regions, particularly near Kerkuk and Mosul, have been engaged in constant skirmishes with tribesmen and Turkish irregulars. The opposition of these forces is similar to that encountered by the French at Aintab, Marash and other points in Gilicia.

Recognition of the Armenian republic without defining its boundaries is said to have embittered the Turks in Cilicia. The Armenians there say that Adana and all Gilicia must be incorporated in the new republic, as they belonged to ancient Armenia. It is said that French forces of occupation have enlisted many Armenians, thus fanning the ancient racial and religious hatred between the Armenians and Turks and linking it with the actual state of war existing between Turkish and French units. It also affords a screen for Armenian massacres in the vicinity of Marash, it is declared.

Protests by allied representatives that the Turks are conquered and must accept the consequences of war have little effect on the Turks, who insist they entered the war against their will and dismiss the matter as if the disposition of Turkish affairs were not connected with the war.

The horrors of Armenian massacres and deportations during the great struggle are blandly met by the Turks with the statement that the Turkish army suffered at the hands of Armenians and that the deportations were necessary. It is also contended that the recent massacre at Marash does not approach Greek atrocities against the Turks when the former landed at Smyrna last year under orders of the Supreme Council of the Peace Conference. Nationalist leaders also say frankly that many clashes similar to that at Marash  are inevitable if the Europeans insist on partitioning portions of Turkey where the Turks predominate.