Abdul Kerim Pasha

Abdul Kerim Pasha (Turkish: Abdülkerim Paşa; born 1872 and died October 16, 1923[1]), also known as Abdülkerim Öpelimi, was an Ottoman commander on the Caucasus front of World War I.

For Ottoman general of the Crimean War, see Abdülkerim Nadir Pasha.
Abdul Kerim Pasha
Nickname(s)Öpelimi
Born1872
Salonica, Salonica Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
Died16 October 1923
Constantinople, Turkey
Allegiance Ottoman Empire
Service/branch Ottoman Army
Years of serviceuntil 1922
RankLieutenant general
Commands heldXI 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/warsItalo-Turkish War
Balkan Wars
First World War
Turkish War of Independence
Battle of Manzikert (1915)
Battle of Erzurum (1918)

Career

Abdul Kerim was born in the city of Selanik. 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
  1. 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)
  2. Sara Blloshmi – kurtizane apo agjente e Mbretit Zog? (in Albanian)


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