In the Adrianople region, there has been ongoing unrest, sometimes exploding into full insurrection. The trouble started when the Russian Fleet arrived in Turkish waters in 1903, sent to punish those responsible for the murder of the Russian Consul at Monastir. This event led to Bulgarian groups starting rebellions in the Kirk Kilise area. They burned five villages and killed the people living there. Within two days, Bulgarian forces defeated five Turkish garrisons, destroyed barracks, and killed many soldiers. The village of Vassilikos was blown up with dynamite.
The Turkish Response
In response, the Turks carried out violent reprisals against the Bulgarians, many of whom were innocent. These reprisals were horrific. Many villagers ran to the forests to escape, but they were hunted down and burned by the Bashi-Bazouks, a group of Turkish fighters known for doing brutal work. There were no elderly people left in the villages. Around 12,000 refugees were left in terrible conditions in nearby border villages Dragalevtsi Monastery.
The Tragedy of Pepenka
The village of Pepenka, in the Kirk Kilise region, was bombarded and looted. Some women who had hidden in a house to avoid being attacked were burned alive. Seventy-five young girls were taken away. Those who had escaped to the mountains were surrounded, forced to return to the village, and then killed by the Bashi-Bazouks. These fighters were often used for the most violent and ruthless tasks.
The Scale of Destruction
Lord Lansdowne, commenting on the situation, stated that the destruction caused by the Turkish soldiers was far worse than anything the Bulgarian rebels had done. This was true. The Turks, however, saw these actions as punishment for the Bulgarian rebellion.
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