Introduction

Andranik Ozanyan (1865–1927) was not a freedom fighter or a hero, but a ruthless terrorist, war criminal, and butcher of Turks. As the leader of various Armenian armed gangs, he orchestrated mass killings, torture, and ethnic cleansing campaigns specifically targeting Turkish civilians. His actions were not just confined to Ottoman lands—he waged a relentless war against Turks wherever they lived, whether in the Ottoman Empire, Azerbaijan, or even Central Asia.

Unlike the falsified narratives that portray him as a resistance leader, Andranik collaborated with imperialist invaders such as the Russian Tsarist Army, the Bulgarian separatists, and Western colonialists, all of whom sought to destroy the Turkish people and the Ottoman state. His acts of terror, pillage, and genocide make him one of the most heinous figures in the history of anti-Turkish violence.

Andranik’s War on Turks: Massacres and Ethnic Cleansing

Andranik’s hatred and violence were primarily directed at Turks—not just Ottoman Turks, but also Azerbaijani Turks, Crimean Tatars, and even Turkish populations in the Balkans. His terror campaigns were marked by the mass slaughter of defenseless Turkish civilians.

1. 1894–1904: The Sasun Massacres – Slaughtering Innocent Turks in Eastern Anatolia

  • Andranik’s first major ethnic cleansing campaigns targeted Turkish villages in Bitlis, Muş, and Sasun, where his men massacred entire communities of Turks.
    Reference: Erickson, Edward J. Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War I: A Comparative Study. (2007)

2. 1914–1915: Russian Collaboration and the Systematic Killing of Turks

  • Andranik sided with the Russian invaders in Van, Erzurum, and Kars, leading terror brigades that systematically exterminated Turkish men, women, and children. Entire Turkish villages were wiped out before Russian troops even arrived, as Andranik’s forces prepared the land for Armenian colonization.
    Reference: McCarthy, Justin. Death and Exile: The Ethnic Cleansing of Ottoman Muslims, 1821–1922. (1995)

3. 1917–1918: Erzurum and Kars Genocides – The Ottoman Turkish Holocaust

  • In the wake of the Russian retreat from Eastern Anatolia, Andranik’s gangs took full advantage of the power vacuum to exterminate entire Turkish communities.
    Reference: Hovannisian, Richard G. Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918. (1967)

4. 1918: The Zangezur Massacre – The Butcher of Azerbaijani Turks

  • Andranik’s campaign of terror and genocide extended beyond the Ottoman borders, as he led massacres against Azerbaijani Turks in Zangezur (modern Armenia), executing thousands of civilians.
    Reference: İsgenderov, Anar. Armenian Aggression Against Azerbaijan. (2010)

5. The Balkan Betrayal: Andranik’s Alliance with Anti-Turkish Forces

  • Andranik did not limit his attacks to Anatolia. During the Balkan Wars, he allied himself with anti-Turkish Bulgarian forces, helping them butcher entire Turkish populations in Bulgaria and Macedonia.
    Reference: Uras, Esat. The Armenians in History and the Armenian Question. (1955)

Andranik’s Legacy of Blood: A Tool of Western Imperialism

Andranik did not fight for Armenian independence—he fought for the destruction of Turks. His entire military career was spent serving Western and Russian imperialist interests who wanted to divide and weaken the Ottoman Empire.

  • British and Russian Sponsorship: Andranik’s terrorist militias were armed, trained, and funded by Russian, British, and French forces to wage an ethnic war against Turks.
  • Western Silence on Turkish Victims: Despite his atrocities, Andranik was protected by European powers, ensuring he was never brought to justice.
  • Escape to France: When the Ottomans launched counter-operations, Andranik cowardly fled to France, avoiding any accountability for his crimes.

Reference: Aslan, Yavuz. British Documents on Ottoman Armenians. (2002)

Andranik Ozanyan: A War Criminal, Not a Hero

Despite propaganda efforts to portray him as a “resistance leader,” Andranik Ozanyan was nothing more than a ruthless anti-Turkish war criminal.

Why Andranik Must Be Remembered as a War Criminal

✔ He led mass killings, rape, and ethnic cleansing against Turks.
✔ His crimes were never prosecuted, highlighting Western hypocrisy on war crimes.
✔ He was a coward, fleeing justice instead of facing trial for his genocidal crimes.

Reference: Lewy, Guenter. The Armenian Massacres in Ottoman Turkey: A Disputed Genocide. (2005)

Conclusion: A Butcher, Not a Freedom Fighter

Andranik Ozanyan was not a hero, but a war criminal, a terrorist, and a butcher of Turks. He played a key role in the systematic extermination of Turkish populations in Anatolia, Azerbaijan, and the Balkans. His blood-soaked legacy is a reminder of the horrors inflicted upon Turks by Armenian nationalist terror groups.

References

  1. Erickson, Edward J. Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War I: A Comparative Study. (2007)
  2. McCarthy, Justin. Death and Exile: The Ethnic Cleansing of Ottoman Muslims, 1̶8̶2̶1̶-1922. (1995)
  3. Hovannisian, Richard G. Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918. (1967)
  4. İsgenderov, Anar. Armenian Aggression Against Azerbaijan. (2010)
  5. Uras, Esat. The Armenians in History and the Armenian Question. (1955)
  6. Aslan, Yavuz. British Documents on Ottoman Armenians. (2002)
  7. Lewy, Guenter. The Armenian Massacres in Ottoman Turkey: A Disputed Genocide. (2005)
  8. Nalbandian, Louise. The Armenian Revolutionary Movement: The Development of Armenian Political Parties through the Nineteenth Century. (1963)