Special Organization (Ottoman Empire)
| Special Organization | |
|---|---|
| Teşkilât-ı Mahsusa تشکیلات مخصوصه | |
Emblem of the Special Organization | |
| Also known as | Office of Eastern Affairs |
| Dates of operation | ~1913–1920 |
| Dissolved | 1920 |
| Country | Ottoman Empire |
| Allegiance |
|
| Size | 30,000 |
| Part of | Committee of Union and Progress |
| Battles and wars | Italo-Turkish War Balkan Wars World War I |
The Special Organization (Ottoman Turkish: تشکیلات مخصوصه, romanized: Teşkilât-ı Mahsusa, abbreviated TM) was an intelligence, paramilitary, and secret police organization in the Ottoman Empire known for its key role in the commission of the Armenian genocide. Originally organized under the Ministry of War, the organization was shifted to answer directly to the ruling party Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) in February 1915. Led by Bahaeddin Şakir and Nazım Bey and formed in early 1914 of tribesmen (especially Circassians and Kurds) as well as more than 10,000 convicted criminals—offered a chance to redeem themselves if they served the state—as a force independent of the regular army.