Simko Shikak revolt (1918–1922)
| Simko Shikak Revolt | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of 1921 Persian coup d'état and Kurdish separatism in Iran | |||||||
Map showing the main locations and zones controlled by Simko Shikak during his revolt (1918–1922) | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
|
Rebels Ottoman Empire |
Assyrian volunteers Azerbaijani volunteers | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Simko Shikak (WIA) Amar Khan Shikak Seyyed Taha Shamzini Sardar Moazzaz Bojnurdi Kâzım Karabekir Mustafa Kemal Atatürk |
Reza Khan Mirpanj Amir Arshad Hasan Arfa Major Malakzadeh † Mohammad Taqi Pessian † Khalo Ghorban † Masoud Divan † Zafar al-Dowleh General Hassan Moqaddam Agha Petros Shimun XIX Benyamin X Malik Khoshaba Malik Yaqo | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
1,000 (early stage)
|
37,000 (1918) 33,000 (1921–1922) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
12,500 killed, captured and wounded |
8,500 killed, captured and wounded
| ||||||
| Total: ~21,000 killed | |||||||
| Part of a series on |
| Kurdish history and Kurdish culture |
|---|
The Simko Shikak revolt was an armed Ottoman-backed tribal Kurdish uprising against the Qajar dynasty of Iran from 1918 to 1922, led by Kurdish chieftain Simko Shikak from the Shekak tribe. During 1920–1922 under the leadership of Agha Simko, Kurdish tribal forces in Persia challenged the authority of the central Persian government.
After Brigadier-General Reza Khan deposed the Qajars in a 1921 coup, he defeated Simko Shikak as well as several prominent rebel commanders such as Kuchik Khan and Colonel Pessian during the Iranian events of 1921. The Shikak rebellion resulted in some 5,000 killed, including many Christian civilians, who were massacred by Simko's forces. In revenge for the death of Mar Shimun, a massacre of 10,000 Kurds and Turks by Agha Petros’ forces took place in Urmia in 1918.