Kurdistan During the First World War
Kamal Madhar Ahmad
Saqi Books
In spite of the promises made by the Allied powers in the 1920 Treaty of Sevres, the Kurds have so far failed to secure their national independence—a goal achieved by the Arabs and other nations in the region.
The author shows how, before and during the First World War, the political manoeuvring of the Allied powers, particularly Britain, concentrated on securing easy access to the region’s oilfields and thus ignored the rights of the Kurds. The role and involvement of Germany and Russia are also discussed in detail.
Of major importance are the chapters examining the role of the Kurds in the Armenian massacres. In his dispassionate analysis of this sensitive issue, the author sheds new lights on the involvement of the Kurds in the tragedy of the Armenian people under Ottoman rule.
The Kurdish historian Kamal Madhar Ahmad received his academic training in Russia, and was until recently Professor of History at Baghdad University. He has published several books on the history of the Kurds and other historical events in the region. | 
