Capture of Trabzon (1918)

The Capture of Trabzon refers to the military operation carried out by the reorganized Ottoman Third Army, under the command of Wehip Pasha, which resulted in the seizure of Trabzon from Russian control on February 24, 1918, during World War I.^[7]

Trabzon campaign (1918)
Part of Caucasus campaign
Date 24–25 February 1918[1] Location Trabzon, Turkey Result Ottoman victory[2] Territorial changes Trabzon recaptured by the Ottomans[3]
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire	Russian volunteers Pontic Greeks Armenian fedayi[4]
Commanders and leaders
Wehib Pasha	Unknown
Units involved
Third Army (Ottoman Empire)	Unknown
Casualties and losses
600 killed 700 wounded	1,050 casualties[5] 250 casualties[6]

Seizure

In the context of the Ottoman front during World War I, the German government had initially opposed Turkish advances into the Caucasus region. However, due to their growing frustration with the actions of Trotsky, the Germans abandoned their previous objections and agreed in the final version of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty to the clearance of Russian troops from the districts of Ardahan, Kars, and Batum.^[7]

Taking advantage of this shift in German policy, the reorganized Ottoman Third Army—which incorporated divisions from the disbanded Second Army—undertook an offensive to capture Trabzon led by their commander, Vehip Pasha.^[7]

On February 24, 1918, Trabzon was successfully seized by Ottoman forces^[8] but not without bloodshed. Approximately 600 individuals lost their lives, and 700 were wounded, primarily due to an explosion at an ammunitions depot. The circumstances surrounding the explosion remain uncertain, as it is unclear whether it was an accident or an intentional act. Casualties included 1,050 Russians and 250 Greeks,^[9] highlighting the diverse ethnic composition of the region.^[7]