beginning of the battle. Fierce hand-to-hand fighting began; from the eastern side of the village, Andranik and his troops struck in the Turkish rear. The Turks retreated, sustaining (according to press reports) as many as 136 deaths; the Armenians had seven killed and eight wounded. On April 14, the Turks unsuccessfully attacked again with reinforcements; by April 16, the residents of Ishkhanadzor had retreated to Talvorik. The Turks tried to cut off their path, but with the help of local troops they broke through. On April 17, a new attack (which also repulsed) was begun. On April 20, the Turks surrounded Gelieduzan with a mass artillery bombardment and fedayeen (led by Andranik) retreated to Talvorik by night. Up to 20,000 people (the population of five evacuated villages) fled—some to the mountains and others to the Mush plain—and were slaughtered. Talvorik held out until May 6, falling to Turkish reinforcements. Two hundred fedayeen between Таlvorik and Gelieguzan resisted until May 14 before retreating. The Turkish victory was accompanied by brutality: Women have been stolen, their breasts cut off, their stomachs ripped, children impaled, old men dismembered. Young girls withdrew in uncountable set ... since May 5th, Turkish armies have wiped out one village after another in Berdakh, Mkragom, Alikrpo, Avazakhiubr and Arnist. According to estimates, from 3,000 to 8,000 people were killed and 45 villages destroyed. To hide traces of genocide from European observers, the Wāli of Bitlis gave orders to cut corpses into pieces and throw them into the Tigris. Aftermath The sultan decreed that Armenians were forbidden to return to Sasun; after diplomatic protests he relented, and 6,000 Armenians returned to the region. See also Social Democrat Hunchakian Party Armenian Revolutionary Federation References Sources Эдуард Оганесян. Век борьбы. Москва-Мюнхен, т.1., 1991, стр. 221—231. Sasun uprising 1904 in Armenia History of Batman Province Armenian rebellions in the Ottoman Empire Rebellions against the Ottoman Empire Bitlis vilayet March 1904 events April 1904 events Mass murder in 1904 Conflicts in 1904