Ottoman Army
Headquarters
Code received from Aleppo
Number: 6738
1. It has been understood that the Armenian soldiers of one of the companies of the Urfa Worker Battalion have attacked and ran away after having martyred some Muslim soldiers along with their captains and wounding many with pickaxes and shovels.
2. More than 3000 of the soldiers in the range transportation branches, worker battalions, porter, and construction companies are Armenians. Although no signs of treachery have been observed so far, they are not reliable whatsoever. Although it is a necessity to employ them in these works, the emergence of these saddening events in a battalion under the protection of range transportation branches have accelerated the need in receiving of the ammunition requested by the code dated August 10, 1915; nevertheless, we have received cartridges and 200 weapons of the 800 requested, as these will be insufficient there is an urgent need for the remaining 600.
3. Armenian soldiers are widely used in the range lines such as in the constructions of Intelli and Ayran tunnels, in the company works, wood chopping; under the light of the above mentioned facts there is a high probability that these well-built committee member soldiers might join the attacking Armenian gangs from various directions; therefore, we request the dispatching of a regular force of some 40 soldiers to Islahiye.
August 28, 1915 Range Inspector
Major General
Veli
To the 6th Division
The original of this telegram is given to the 6th Division. Please inform
the Operations Command about the procedures.
On behalf of the Director