Bitlis and Its Surroundings in Ottoman Documents

Bitlis and Its Surroundings in Ottoman Documents is a work that emerged as a result of years of research in the Ottoman archives of the late Kerem Soylu . Kerem Soylu examined Ottoman documents for years and, with great effort and study, selected and deciphered those that were important in terms of Kurdish history. Istanbul Kurdish Institute Publications had previously published a similar work by the late Kerem Soylu called "Ottoman Documents in Dersim and Its Surroundings". In this study, light is shed on a new historical event for the Kurds, the events that took place in Bitlis and its surroundings at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, especially the " Mele Selim Uprising ".

Since these documents consist of the correspondence of the local administrators of the state with the center, they are important in understanding the official view of the Ottoman Empire. It is also noteworthy that a letter written by Kurdish leaders and Mele Selim, who himself led the uprising, to the Armenian delegation was included among these documents. As understood from the documents, Abdurrezak Bedirhan, who is in Russia, is thought to be involved in this uprising.