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Abdul Kerim Pasha (Turkish: Abdulkerim Paşa; born 1872 and died October 16, 1923[1]), also known as Abdulkerim Öpelimi, was an Ottoman commander on the Caucasus front of World War I.
Abdul Kerim Pasha | |
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| Nickname(s) | Öpelimi |
| Born | 1872 Salonica, Salonica Vilayet, Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 16 October 1923 Constantinople, Turkey |
| Allegiance |  Ottoman Empire |
| Service | Ottoman Army |
| Years of service | until 1922 |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Commands | XI Corps, Right Wing of the Third Army, Third Army (deputy), General Rearguard, XX Corps, Third Army, delegate to Georgia (Tiflis), member of the First Board of the Military Appeal Court, member of the First Court-martial, president of the First Court-martial |
| Battles / wars | Italo-Turkish War Balkan Wars First World War Battle of Manzikert (1915) Battle of Erzurum (1918) Battle of Koprukoy Battle of Kara Killisse (1915) Erzurum offensive Turkish War of Independence |
Career
editAbdul Kerim was born in the city of Selanik to an ethnic Albanian family. He married Ismail Qemali’s daughter. Abdul Kerim Pasha's first battle was when the Russian general Oganovski launched an offense into the hills west of Manzikert, in 1915. Abdul Kerim Pasha counterattacked against the Russians and defeated Oganovski at the Battle of Manzikert, and captured the town of Manzikert. However Nikolai Yudenich, replaced Oganovski, as Russian commander, and counterattacked, re-taking Manzikert.
Yudenich ordered a retreat from Manzikert, as he was outnumbered by Abdul Kerim Pasha's army, and Kerim pursued. Yudenich defeated Kerim at the Battle of Kara Killisse. Pasha retreated back to Manzikert.
In February 1916, Kerim suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Erzurum. After the battle, Kerim was removed from his position as commander.
In December 1916, he was shortly reinstated as commander of the XX Corps, which was sent to support Bulgaria and Germany on the Salonika front, but already in May 1917, the force was dismantled and recalled to Mesopotamia, where the troops were urgently needed. Kerim died on October 16 1923 shortly after the liberation of Istanbul by the Turkish forces of Mustafa Kemal Pasha.
Abdul Kerim was married to Mevdet Vlora, the older daughter of Ismail Qemal Bej Vlora.[2]
Sources
edit- ^ Hülya Toker, Nurcan Fidan, Birinci Dünya Savaşı'na katılan Alay ve Daha Üst Kademedeki Komutanların Biyografileri, Genelkurmay Basım Evi, 2009, ISBN 978-975-409-493-0, p. 137. (in Turkish)
- ^ Sara Blloshmi – kurtizane apo agjente e Mbretit Zog? (in Albanian)