The London Times 18 June 1918
TURKS AT TABRIZ
THROUGH CAUCASIA TO PERSIA.
TURKISH report, June 14 :-
In Persia both shores of Lake Urmia and the town of Tabriz were occupied by us with a view to protecting the wing of our army on the Caucasian front.-Reuter. **During the earlier period of the war Tabriz was occupied by a Russian Force. By order of the Bolshevists this force withdrew some six months ago. After their occupation of Batum and Kars the Turks, last month, advanced through Southern Caucasia and by the end of the month were near Julfa, on the Persian border, and the terminus of a railway from Tiflis. Tabriz is 75 miles south-east of Julfa and lies between Urmia and the Caspian. Tabriz, with an estimated population of 200,000, ranks second in size among the cities of Persia. It is a place of considerable antiquity ; the chief building is the citadel, now an arsenal, a building of burnt brick with great walls and a tower 120ft. high. Since the opening of the Trans-Caucasian railway the commercial importance of Tabriz has declined, but it still does a large trade. Tabriz is about 320 miles north-east of Baghdad.
MESOPOTAMIA
The Secretary of the War Office announced last night that in Mesopotamia there was no military action to report
The London Times 7 August 1918
TURKS AT URMIA.
ADVANCE IN NORTH-WEST PERSIA
TURKISH report, Aug. 2 :-
Our troops in the north-west of Persia have occupied the town of Urmia.-Reuter. **Urmia is 18 miles west of the western side of Lake Urmia and 140 miles north-east of Mosul [Upper Mesopotamia]. Following their operations in Trans-caucasia, the Turks entered North-West Persia, making use of the railway from Tiflis to Julfa, on the Russo-Persian border. Thence they marched south and occupied Tabriz, situated between Lake Urmia and the Caspian, “with a view,” as stated in their communiqué of June 14, “to protecting the wing of our army on the Caucasian front.” Later in June Dilman, east of Lake Urmia and north of the town of Urmia, was occupied. From Tabriz a Turkish force is reported to be marching towards the Caspian ports of Persia.