Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry has once again brought to light a collection of archival documents and photographs that it says expose the scale of atrocities committed by Greek forces against the Turkish civilian population in Anatolia during the 1919–1922 occupation.

The ministry said the newly released records from its archives provide compelling historical evidence of the destruction and violence inflicted on civilians during the Greek Army’s occupation of western Anatolia and its subsequent withdrawal.

“The documents and photographs we have released from our Ministry’s archives once again reveal the atrocities committed by the Greek Army in Anatolia between 1919 and 1922,” the ministry said.

According to Ankara, Greek forces pursued a systematic policy of destruction during both the occupation and retreat, leaving behind widespread devastation and suffering among local civilian communities.

The Foreign Ministry said the historical record is also reflected in the Lausanne Peace Treaty and various international reports, arguing that the newly published archival material provides further documentation of the suffering experienced by the Turkish population.

Among the records released by the ministry are documents and photographs concerning what it described as a massacre of Turkish civilians in a village near Bursa.

The ministry described the material as a stark reminder of the human cost of the Greek occupation and said preserving and making such archival evidence accessible is essential to ensuring that the experiences of victims are not forgotten.

The Greek occupation of parts of Anatolia followed the landing of Greek troops in İzmir in May 1919 during the aftermath of World War I. The occupation became a central part of the Turkish War of Independence and was ultimately ended by the Turkish military victory in 1922.

For Türkiye, the period remains a defining chapter in the country’s struggle for independence and sovereignty. The conflict culminated in the establishment of the modern Turkish Republic and the signing of the Lausanne Peace Treaty in 1923.

By releasing the archival documents, Ankara is seeking to reinforce what it describes as the historical record of the period and to draw renewed attention to the suffering of Turkish civilians during the occupation.

The Foreign Ministry said the records should serve as an important historical reminder and contribute to a fuller understanding of the events that shaped Türkiye’s struggle for national independence. (ILKHA)