| Conflict: | Battle of Kovanbaşı |
| Partof: | the Franco-Turkish War |
| Date: | 10–11 October 1920 |
| Place: | Osmaniye |
| Result: | Turkish victory |
| Combatant2: | |
| Combatant1: | National Forces |
| Strength2: | 10,000 |
| Strength1: | 60[1] |
| Casualties2: | Turkish claims: about 1,000 killed, wounded and captured |
| Casualties1: | Unknown |
The Battle of Kovanbaşı took place between Turkish National Forces and the French Third Republic during the Franco-Turkish War. The battle ended with a Turkish victory on 11 October 1920.[2]
French interest in the region was sparked by the Sykes-Picot Agreement, signed amidst World War I.
Battle of Kovanbaşı was the first one of 2 major battles in Osmaniye Province during the Franco-Turkish War.[3] The battle started on 10 October when French artillery fired several fires against Turkish targets. As a response, Turkish troops marched to the French positions and French forces retreated. Then the French moved their troops in Düziçi to the battlefront in Kovanbaşı but were defeated again. After 8 hours of fighting, all French and Armenian troops in the region retreated to northern Ceyhan with heavy casualties, around 1,000.[4] [5]
After the battle, Battle of Kanlı Geçit was fought in November and resulted in Turkish victory, forcing French to fully retreat from Osmaniye Province.
