ERZINCAN — 1993 · Major Tragedy
Başbağlar Village Attack
On 5 July 1993, an armed group raided the village of Başbağlar in the Kemaliye district of Erzincan. Thirty-three villagers were killed; 28 men were shot and 5 people died in houses that were set on fire. Homes, the school and the mosque in the village were burned. The governor at the time and other officials attributed the attack to the PKK. A case opened at the State Security Court in 1994 concluded in 1998 without the perpetrators being definitively identified. Over the years various claims about the incident have been raised. In 2022 a new indictment was prepared against 21 defendants, and judicial proceedings resumed. Başbağlar is commemorated every year on 5 July, and a memorial in the village honours those who died.
- Date
- 1993
- Place
- Kemaliye, Erzincan
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Under Investigation
- Coordinates
- 39.2508, 38.9211 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 5 July 1993An armed group raids Başbağlar; 33 people are killed
- 1994A case is opened at the State Security Court
- 1998The case concludes without the perpetrators being definitively identified
- 2022A new indictment is prepared against 21 defendants
Sources
- BBC Türkçe — Başbağlar katliamı bbc.com ↗
- Anadolu Ajansı — 27 yıldır yürek yakan acı: Başbağlar katliamı aa.com.tr ↗
- Wikipedia — Başbağlar massacre en.wikipedia.org ↗
- BBC Turkish
- Anadolu Agency
- Wikipedia (EN)
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.