Civil detainees exchanged between the Ottoman Empire and Britain during the World War 1

Abstract

Wars  caused many human losses as well as crises and environmental disasters, and the detention of civilians became a phenomenon between the conflicting parties. World War l was one of the international crises that witnessed many events that included many parts of the world, including the Middle East.  Iraq become a military arena of strategic importance for all the countries participating in the war, especially the Ottoman Empire and Britain. During the war  years , an exchange of British and Ottoman civilians detainees  In the Iraq front took place under American sponsorship during the years 1916-1917, before the United States announced entry and participation in this war. The deal included the exchange of British individuals and nationals , including  women and children , who were present in Iraq at the time of the outbreak  war and they were detained by the Ottoman authorities, in exchange for the release of civilian employees and Turkish nationals of the Ottoman Empire who were detained by the British forces, whether during  their  advance  into Iraq or in other regions.