Battle of Bitlis

Battle of Bitlis Битлисское сражение
Mustafa Kemal at Bitlis.
Date March 2-August 24, 1916[citation needed] Location Bitlis Vilayet, Ottoman Empire Result Ottoman victory[citation needed]
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Nikolai Yudenich Foma Nazarbekov	Ahmed Izzet Pasha Faik Pasha  † Mustafa Kemal Pasha
Strength
Russian Caucasus Army 65,000-100,000 & 256 artillery	Second Army 70,000-90,000 & 100 artillery

The Battle of Bitlis^{[citation needed]} refers to a series of engagements in the summer of 1916 for the city of Bitlis and to a lesser extent nearby Muş, between the Russian Imperial forces and their Ottoman counterparts.

Bitlis first fell to the 2nd Caucasian Corps on March 2 just as Mustafa Kemal's advance guard was arriving in Bitlis. However, Mustafa Kemal Pasha recaptured not only Muş but also Bitlis on August 15 after repulsed Nikolai Yudenich's army, who was walking to Diyarbakır. The Ottoman counterattack was stopped in Gevash on August 24. This was the first battle that Ottoman Army not only succeed in stopping Russian Army, but also gained some territories back.

Mustafa Kamal entered Bitlis on August 7 and pushed on towards Van. "It was an important success which earned Mustafa Kamal the golden sword of the Order of Imtiyaz."

During this campaign, Ottoman Army's chief staff Enver Pasha sent one of his trustees Ismet Bey most probably to control his rival for the Ottoman Army leadership Mustafa Kemal Pasha.^{[citation needed]} However, Ismet Bey was convinced by the military talent of Mustafa Kemal Pasha and became more and more loyal to him.^{[citation needed]}