Siege of Khiva (1922)

After the overthrow of the Khanate in December 1920, the Khorezm People's Soviet Republic was established.^[1][2]

In November 1921, Junaid Khan signed a peace treaty with the Khorezm Republic, while waiting for an opportune moment to seize control of Khorezm.^[3]

However, he soon began reorganizing his forces—estimated around 15,000 men in 1922,^[4][5] although this figure might have been exaggerated, as estimates vary.^[6]

During this period, Enver Pasha, the former Ottoman general who was leading the anti-Soviet insurgency in Bukhara sent convoys and letters to Junaid Khan who was offering resistance to the Bolsheviks in the Karakum desert.^[7][8] Several Turkmen tribes also joined Junaid khan, who also held the title of "Commander of the Army of Islam" alongside Enver Pasha.^[9] As a result, the territory under Khivan Basmachi control expanded significantly.^[7]

In April 1922, Junaid Khan captured the Boldumsaz District.^[10][11] On April 12, he attacked the Chovdur tribes, who were allied with Soviets, inflicting heavy casualties.^[12] In later days of 1922, Basmachi uprisings broke out against the Soviet government in Khiva,^[13] where the Soviets suffered a heavy defeat against Junaid Khan and Molla Abdulkahhar in Khiva.^[13][14] Abdulkahhar later participated in the siege of Khiva alongside Junaid Khan during the uprisings.^[13] This led to Junaid Khan and Molla Abdulkahhar to seize control of Khorezm.^{[15][16][17][18][19]}

By mid-1922 due to increase of Soviet reinforcement in the region, a portion of Junaid Khan's troops began negotiations with the Red Army, and about 150 Basmachis eventually surrendered.^[20] In June 1922, Molla Abdulkahhar was also defeated by the Red Army units in Bukhara and was forced to retreat.^[21]