Battle of Kars (1920)

Battle of Kars
	Part of the Turkish invasion of Armenia
	; Armenian civilians fleeing Kars after its capture by Kazım Karabekir's forces.
Date	30 October 1920
Location	Kars, Kars Province, Republic of Armenia (present-day Turkey)
Result	Turkish victory Turkish capture of Kars leading to expulsion of Armenian civilians from Kars;
Belligerents
Armenia	Ankara Government
Commanders and leaders
Daniel Bek-Pirumian (POW); Christophor Araratov (POW); Col. Shaghubadian (POW); Alexander Vekilian (POW); Col. Babajanov (POW); Vahan Ter-Arakelian (POW); Hovhannes Mazmanian †	Kâzım Karabekir; Rüştü Pasha; Osman Koptagel; Halit Karsıalan
Strength
8,000–10,000 men	18,700 men
Casualties and losses
150+ killed soldiers; 3,000+ captured	59 killed; 47 wounded

40°36′28″N 43°05′45″E / 40.60778°N 43.09583°E / 40.60778; 43.09583

The Battle of Kars was the largest battle of the Turkish invasion of Armenia, which took place on October 30, 1920. It was fought between forces loyal to the Grand National Assembly under the command of Kâzım Karabekir and the army of the First Republic of Armenia. Karabekir's army captured the fortified city of Kars after launching a massive assault, taking minor casualties and capturing around 3,000 Armenian soldiers, as well as several high-ranking Armenian military officers and civilian officials. The swift capture of Kars opened the path for Turkish forces to advance towards Armenia's largest city at the time, Alexandropol, and effectively decided solidified Turkey's invasion and occupation of Armenian territory.