Kuchgiri Rebellion

   The Kuchgiri rebellion of the Alevi Kuchgiri Kurdish tribe in western Dersim in Turkey broke out in November 1920 while the Kemalists were desperately trying to head off Armenian attacks in the east and Greek attacks in the west. It was led by Alishan Beg, the son of Mustafa Pasha, chief of the Kuchgiri.

   Sunni Kurds did not join the rebellion because they still supported the Kemalists and also suspected Alevi connections with the Armenians. Even Alevi Kurds to the south did not join the Kuchgiri. The Kemalists played for time until they could bring their forces to bear, and by April 1921 the brief rebellion had been crushed. More serious Kurdish revolts subsequently broke out, such as the Sheikh Said rebellion in 1925, the Ararat revolt from 1927 to 1930, and the Dersim Rebellion from 1936 to 1938.