IGDIR - Excavation, which started to unearth a mass grave in which 96 Turkish people were buried after they were massacred by Armenian gangs on August 20, 1919, in Gedikli village in Tuzluca town of eastern province of Igdir this week.
Dr. Mehmet Kulaz from the Yuzuncu Yil University, who has carried out the two-day excavations, said that their efforts had reached its target to document the massacre of Armenian gangs during the World War I.
''We have found ten skeletons and a number of human bones in the mass grave. They belonged to Turkish people massacred by Armenian gangs. Besides bones, we have found ax, incisory and piercing devices. We have found out that Armenian gangs also massacred women and children. During the excavation, we have unearthed pieces of jewelry and clothing of women,'' he said.
Noting that those human remains were buried again in the mass grave, Kulaz said, ''the mass grave will be arranged as a cemetery. Other things will be protected in the Kars Museum.''
Meanwhile, Orhan Ciftci, the head official of Tuzluca town, said that they planned to erect a monument in the area where the mass grave took place.
(UK-MS) 01.06.2003