Tensions were exacerbated by certain fanatical Muslim groups, whose newspapers ran inflammatory articles calculated to arouse the masses of ordinary people against the Armenians. At the same time, serious incidents flared up in the neighboring city of Alexandretta, pitting members of the Armenian Legion against the local Muslim population. The new arrivals’ presence in Aleppo increased the strain between the two communities. The anti-Armenian campaign peaked, on 28 February 1919, in a pogrom in the city. Accompanied by gendarmes and Arab soldiers, a mob
roamed the streets in search of Armenian refugees, who took cover as best they could in the city’s
barracks and orphanages. Homes belonging to
Armenians were looted and sacked. The mob even attacked the Khan Sabun, where Rev. Shirajian’s orphans were living. The building sustained very heavy damage. The massacres went on for several hours, ceasing only when the British army stepped in. A total of fifty Armenians were killed, one hundred fifty were injured, and many others were reported missing.75 Drawing the lessons of these events, the British decided to speed up the repatriation campaign in the hope of preventing similar outbreaks elsewhere.
The massacres dealt a heavy blow to the refugee relief programs already in progress: the humanitarian organizations had now to come to the aid of the victims of the pogrom as well. The real beginnings of the local AGBU’s humanitarian work may be dated to precisely this moment. Reorganized on 12 January 1919, the chapter already had fifty-four members, some of whom were Aleppo natives, while others were deportees. It had lost no time resuming its activities, a task made easier by the growth in its ranks over the following weeks, which saw its membership rise to one hundred four. The first committee comprised Gabriel Khanjian, Onnig Mazlumian (“the Baron”), Rupen Ejzajian, Khachadur Shahin, Hagop Voskan ...Read all
Post-War Aleppo and Armenian Refugees
Residents of the AGBU women's shelter, with the members of the committee charged with resucing women and orphans. Left to right: Dikran Jigerjian, Gabriel Khanjian, Father Harutyun Yesayan (between two French officers), a clergyman, Onnig Mazlumian, Manug Sahagian, Dr. Khachadurian. Aleppo, 1919 (Coll. Bibl. Nubar/Paris).
Rupen Herian, Commissioner for Repatriation, responsible for finding and rescuing captive women and children
(Coll. Bibl. Nubar/Paris).
AGBU and the Problem of the Armenian Refugees (Video)