Bitlis uprising
Bitlis Bitlis uprising (1914) (Turkey)
Date Early March – 4 April 1914 Location Bitlis, Ottoman Empire Result Ottoman victory Uprising suppressed
Belligerents
Kurdish rebels Supported by:  Russian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Mullah Selim[1] Sayyid Ali[1] Sheikh Şahabeddin[1]	Unknown
Strength
"thousands"[2]	Garrison at Bitlis: Unknown, but less than the Kurds[2] Reinforcements: Unknown

The Bitlis uprising was a Kurdish uprising in the Ottoman Empire in early 1914.^[2] It was supported by the Russian Empire.^[2] It was fought concurrently with an unrelated Kurdish uprising in Barzan in the Mosul Vilayet, which was also supported by Russia.^[2] Later Kurdish nationalist historiography portrayed the uprising as part of a Kurdish nationalist struggle, but its actual causes laid in opposition to conscription and taxation.^[2] The uprising began in early March, with a skirmish between Kurdish fighters and Ottoman gendarmes, where the latter was forced to retreat.^[2] The Kurds subsequently laid siege to the city of Bitlis, and captured the city on 2 April.^[2] Ottoman forces were then dispatched from Muş and Van and suppressed the uprising.^[2] After the defeat of the uprising on 4 April, one of the rebel leaders, Molla Selim, successfully sought asylum in Russia.^[2]