Persecution of Kurds

The newly declared Turkish Republic leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk repudiated the Treaty of Sèvres which proposed a referendum be conducted in the Kurdish homeland. As a result, conflict continued between the Turkish military and the Kurds. This conflict still exists today.

After the Dersim massacre, 40,000-70,000 civilians were killed by the Turkish Army and 11,818 people were exiled, depopulating the province.^[1] Nuri Dersimi stated that many tribesmen were killed after surrendering, and women and children were locked into hay sheds which were then lit on fire.^[2] 30,000 Kurds were massacred by the Turkish Army after the rebellion.^[3]

The Zilan massacre killed about 15,000 Kurdish civilians and the Zilan River was full to the brim with dead bodies.^[4][5][6][7]

The Kuşkonar massacre killed 38 people, 13 in Koçağılı and 25 in Kuşkonar. Most of the victims were children, women or elderly, including seven babies. 13 people were injured.^[8] Later the Turkish Armed Forces blamed the PKK and used the massacre as propaganda. The Turkish government refused to start investigating despite complaints of surviving villagers.^[8][9]

The 3-year-long Anfal campaign killed 50,000 to 100,000 non-combatant Kurdish civilians.^[10] Kurdish officials claimed the figure could be as high as 182,000.^[11] 1,754 schools, 270 hospitals, 2,450 mosques, and 90% of the Kurdish villages were destroyed.^[12]