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The most part of Western Armenia was left under the power of Turkey. Soon after the beginning of the First World War, Turks started solving "the Armenian Issue” by means of forcible exile of all Armenians from Asia Minor. Armenians serving in Turkish army were demobilized and shot, women, children and old men were violently moved to the deserts of Syria. It resulted in the death of 600 thousand - 1 million people.
Many of those Armenians who were saved by Turks and Kurds escaped to Russian Armenia or other countries of the Near East. That mass destruction of Armenians by Turks is considered the first genocide of the 20 th century. During the years of Armenian genocide (1915-1923) 1.5 million Armenians were killed in Western Armenia and other parts of Ottoman Empire. The massacre of Armenian population in Eastern Armenia and Transcaucasia by Turks who had invaded Transcaucasia in 1918 and 1920 was also the part of Armenian genocide. Taking into account all victims from the end of the 19 th century, their number exceeds 2 million. Armenia still struggles so that Turkey admits the genocide of Armenians in 1915-1923.
The fact of admittance will mean that Turkey will have to respect the legitimate claims of Armenian people on their territories and material indemnification for the caused damage and suffering.
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