Western Armenia TV, in advance of April 24, the day of commemoration of the victims of the genocide committed against Armenians, continues to broadcast on television the testimonies of the self-defense fights organized in different regions of Western Armenia that the Sultanate’s government suppressed. 

Since the 1880s, a comprehensive system of socioeconomic and political pressures has been implemented to depopulate Zeytun and destroy its foundations. At the initiative of Nazareth Chavush in the place called Mut Dzor in 1895, at the meeting convened on October 12, it was decided to start a death struggle against the Turkish tyranny. 

Already on October 15, there was a clash with the government troops. On the same day, the rebels stormed the house of the governor of Zeytun and surrounded the barracks. The capture of the governor was very important for obtaining ammunition, strengthening the rear and raising the fighting spirit of the rebels. The news of the fall of the barracks was received with great concern by Constantinople. 

The command of the Turkish forces in Zeytun was placed under the orders of the Circassian Mustafa RamziPacha. At the end of November, the Turkish armies were at the gates of Zeytun. Before starting the attack, RamziPasha sent a delegation of Armenians from Marash to Zeytun with an offer to surrender. They were asked to hand over the leaders of the self-defense groups, to return the seized weapons and ammunition and the prisoners. The demands were rejected and the Turkish armies attacked on December 2.

You can watch the video about Zeytun self-defense on Western Armenia TV’s YouTube channel.