▁Kur d ish ▁tribes ▁of ▁Ur fa ▁to ▁close ▁ranks ▁against ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁resist . ▁His ▁actions ▁were ▁coordin ated ▁with ▁K ı l ı ç ▁Ali ▁Bey ▁( K ul uj ▁Ali ), ▁a ▁Kur d ish ▁army ▁captain . ▁ ▁Battle ▁On ▁February ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁Ali ▁Sa ip ▁Bey ▁issued ▁a ▁demand ▁that ▁French ▁forces ▁ev acu ate ▁Ur fa ▁in ▁ 2 4 ▁hours . ▁When ▁the ▁French ▁refused ▁this ▁ult imat um , ▁the ▁Turkish ▁forces ▁rose ▁up ▁on ▁February ▁ 9 ▁and ▁placed ▁the ▁French ▁g arrison ▁under ▁sie ge . ▁The ▁ins urre ction ▁of ▁Ur fa ▁was ▁launched ▁at ▁the ▁very ▁moment ▁the ▁Turkish ▁National ▁forces ▁were ▁facing ▁im min ent ▁defeat ▁in ▁Mar ash . ▁The ▁g arrison , ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁ 4 7 3 ▁French men , ▁Sen eg al ese , ▁Al ger ians , ▁and ▁Armen ians , ▁put ▁up ▁a ▁st iff ▁resistance ▁against ▁the ▁Turkish ▁and ▁Kur d ish ▁National ists ▁for ▁si xty - one ▁days . ▁On ▁April ▁ 7 , ▁with ▁supplies ▁of ▁am mun ition ▁and ▁food ▁almost ▁de ple ted , ▁Major ▁H au ger , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁be le ag uer ed ▁det achment , ▁asked ▁the ▁Turkish ▁National ists ▁that ▁his ▁men ▁be ▁provided ▁with ▁safe ▁conduct ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁Christian ▁population ▁to ▁remain ▁un har med ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁the ▁g arrison ' s ▁ev acu ation ▁from ▁the ▁city . ▁▁