▁number ed ▁in ▁the ▁thousands ▁ ▁IM RO ▁had ▁de ▁fact o ▁control ▁of ▁Pir in ▁Mac ed onia ▁and ▁acted ▁as ▁a ▁" state ▁within ▁a ▁state ", ▁which ▁it ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁base ▁for ▁hit ▁and ▁run ▁attacks ▁against ▁Y ug oslav ia ▁with ▁the ▁uno fficial ▁support ▁of ▁Bulg aria ▁and ▁later ▁F asc ist ▁Italy , ▁also ▁establish ing ▁close ▁links ▁with ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁U sta še ▁movement . ▁N umer ous ▁assass in ations ▁were ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁IM RO ▁activ ists ▁in ▁many ▁countries , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁which ▁occurred ▁in ▁Y ug oslav ia . ▁The ▁most ▁spect ac ular ▁of ▁these ▁was ▁the ▁assass ination ▁of ▁King ▁Alexander ▁I ▁of ▁Y ug oslav ia ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁Foreign ▁Minister ▁Louis ▁Bar th ou ▁in ▁Marse illes ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁in ▁collaboration ▁with ▁An te ▁Pav eli ć . ▁IM RO ' s ▁constant ▁frat ric idal ▁kill ings ▁and ▁assass in ations ▁abroad ▁prov oked ▁some ▁within ▁Bulgar ian ▁military ▁after ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁coup ▁d ' état ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁to ▁take ▁control ▁and ▁attempt ▁to ▁cr ush ▁the ▁organization . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁Mih ail ov ▁fled ▁to ▁Turkey ▁and ▁ordered ▁his ▁supp or ters ▁not ▁to ▁resist ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁army ▁and ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁dis arm ament ▁peace fully , ▁potentially ▁avoid ing ▁a ▁civil ▁war ▁or ▁foreign ▁invasion . ▁Many ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁Pir in ▁Mac ed onia