Talk:Defense of Azakh

GA review

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

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This review is transcluded from Talk:Defense of Azakh/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Nominator: Surayeproject3 (talk · contribs) 14:10, 20 October 2025 (UTC)

Reviewer: TheBritinator (talk · contribs) 12:52, 25 October 2025 (UTC)

@Surayeproject3 I have finished my review. Looks good for the most part, but there are some unreferenced sections here and there which need fixing. TheBritinator (talk) 13:19, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

@TheBritinator I aim to look at the unreferenced sections sometime later today and spotcheck sources to confirm that content is accurate. Will reply once this is finished. Surayeproject3 (talk) 13:16, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

@TheBritinator Spotchecked Kevorkian, Morris, Atto (2011), Astourian and Kevorkian (which I've changed to David Gaunt as the cited information is from a chapter he authored), and two online links. I have previously spotchecked Lingius, Akdemir, and Gaunt's 2023 source. I have changed most of the points mentioned below but I have not yet cited the quote; I have also made some grammatical and citation changes, so these should also be checked as well. Surayeproject3 (talk) 20:12, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

@Surayeproject3 Changes look good but there are still a couple of unreferenced parts, including the quote. I cannot pass this until they are addressed. TheBritinator (talk) 16:33, 29 October 2025 (UTC)

Remind me of all the unreferenced parts besides the quote and I will tackle those as soon as possible. Surayeproject3 (talk) 17:02, 29 October 2025 (UTC)

It's on my review. You can also see them just by looking at the article. They're quite big. TheBritinator (talk) 17:16, 29 October 2025 (UTC)

@TheBritinator I've been able to spotcheck Travis (2017, changed to Çetinoğlu who authored the chapter where the cited info is located), DelCogliano, Gaunt (2015), and the source titled "Massacres, Resistance, Protectors: Muslim–Christian Relations in Eastern Anatolia during World War I", which is now added in references properly. I believe that all leftover parts that were unreferenced are now referenced. I have changed the "Strength" section of the infobox as well, I couldn't find the content to support the citations in the source given.

"The conflict began as Kurdish tribes and other local Muslim militias began to raid and destroy small Assyrian villages throughout Tur Abdin throughout the summer of 1915." - This is cited to Gaunt, 2015. Surayeproject3 (talk) 12:42, 30 October 2025 (UTC)

Is This topic was discussed by General Field Marshal Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz and the ambassador in Constantinople Konstantin von Neurath consulted with Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg on how to react to the targeting of Ottoman Christian subjects in Anatolia. Neurath wrote: also referenced to Gaunt, or just the quote? Also a reference on the Ottoman side for strength and casualties would be ideal. TheBritinator (talk) 12:45, 30 October 2025 (UTC)

I just checked again, and yes it is cited to the same page as the quote in Gaunt 2015. I found the content for the Ottoman strength on page 280 of Gaunt 2006. Surayeproject3 (talk) 13:02, 30 October 2025 (UTC)

I will review this. Give me time to go through all the sources and I will post my comments as I go. I know very little about this topic so please correct me if I get things wrong.

I just want to say off the bat that I can't access most of these sources to verify them. I will assume good faith and accuracy on most of them.

Lead/infobox

• Would it be possible to have a more contemporary image in the infobox, like a picture/map of the place from around the time? No problem if not.
• Is it possible to be more specific than "heavy" for the Ottoman casualties? Again, no issue if not.
• Rest seems good. Can't access this sources so assuming this is accurate.

Lead/infobox

• At the start of the 20th century, the village had a population of only 1,000 people Remove only.
• Hanna Makdisi Amno becoming mayor in 1917 is irrelevant to the background when this takes place in 1915. Mentioning that Işo was mayor/leader is enough.
• Starting in May 1915, many Assyrian families from surrounding villages as well as some Armenians sought protection from massacres, as it became increasingly apparent that an attack was incoming. The conflict began as Kurdish tribes and other local Muslim militias began to raid and destroy small Assyrian villages throughout Tur Abdin throughout the summer of 1915. Most villages were unprepared and fell quickly to the Kurdish raiders into June and July. This is unreferenced.
• I have added a couple of wikilinks for you that may be helpful.
• As they armed themselves and put up a resistance Who? The Assyrians?
• By July, more than a thousand determined defenders had gathered in the village of Azakh. Remove determined.
• other members include include > included.
• The village of Azakh was first surrounded in mid-August. By who? The Ottomans?

TheBritinator In order, I have removed the map of modern day Azakh, as an infobox map is included and the picture is not necessary. I have removed one of the sources as it doesn't appear to discuss the defense, but instead the history of Agha Petros and events of the genocide in Hakkari. Made some other minor edits, but I think the infobox looks fine as is.

I have removed info about Hanna Makdisi Amno and have converted the cited source to an external link. All grammar errors have been fixed, and the part about May 1915 has a reference included. I couldn't make changes to the last part since the reference does not specify who exactly surrounded Azakh. I will also make some source additions in a bit. Surayeproject3 (talk) 17:51, 25 October 2025 (UTC)

Nice. Keep in mind I have no finished my review yet, but it would appear several parts of the next section are unreferenced. I will get to them soon. TheBritinator (talk) 18:07, 25 October 2025 (UTC)

Defense and battle

• On the night of August 26, they managed to capture and destroy strategic positions of the Kurds who withdrew from Azakh on September 9 after suffering heavy casualties. However, this prompted Ottoman authorities to deploy regular troops against the Azakh defense. The case of the conflict of Azakh was then passed from the civil officials and given to the military for them to handle. This is unreferenced.
• General Halil > General Halil Kut
• The next two paragraphs (with the quote) is unreferenced.
• If it is a quote, then it say who said it and be referenced.
• At this time, Naci Bey was also beginning to have his doubts. Also unreferenced.
• Although negotiations had taken place regarding the non-Armenian Assyrian ethnicity of the villagers, being discussed alongside the events of the siege, this was to no avail "Although negotiations had taken place during the siege regarding the non-Armenian Assyrian ethnicity of the villagers, this was to no avail." would read better

Aftermath

• Lowercase "defense" in both instances of Defense of Azakh.
• Today, the story of the defense survives thanks to an Arabic language vernacular written by a schoolteacher from the village, Gabriyel Tuma-Hëndo, which details the events of the siege before, during, and after "The story of the defense survives due to a language vernacular written by a schoolteacher from the village, Gabriyel Tuma-Hëndo, which details the circumstances and aftermath of the siege." Reads better.

References

• Looks good, well organized. I would recommend archiving web sources, though this is not necessary for GA.

Scope

• Y Not familiar with this topic area but I'd say it gives a detailed explanation of all the events.

Neutrality

• Y All prose is appears neutral and without bias.

Stability

• Y No sign of active edit wars.

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Did you know nomination

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. You can locate your hook here. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by Darth Stabro (talk) 05:47, 22 December 2025 (UTC)

(

• Comment or view
• Article history

)

• ... that one of the most significant episodes of Assyrian resistance during Sayfo was the Defense of Azakh?

• Source: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv29sfvw6

• • Reviewed:
  • Comment: For whoever is unable to access the source, page. 85 states "Beside Iwardo, the most successful Assyrian resistance took place at Azakh (now Idil, situated between Midyat and Cizre)..."

Improved to Good Article status by Surayeproject3 (talk). Number of QPQs required: 0. Nominator has fewer than 5 past nominations.

Surayeproject3 (talk) 19:20, 2 November 2025 (UTC).

• Recently promoted to GA and no QPQ needed. No image. Article is NPOV and is long enough. The hook is, by my estimation, interesting. While it's not a strange or unusual fact, it gives enough references to relatively obscure events that it will prompt the reader to click as much as any. Hook is inline cited to a RS. Seems good to me! Chetsford (talk) 16:45, 4 November 2025 (UTC)