Episode seven of #Intelligence_Operations_That_Changed_World_History7.

On the morning of 29 July 1832, the Egyptian army under the command of "Ibrahim Pasha" was heading into a tight ambush prepared by the Ottoman army; in the mountainous Belen passes, on the Turkish-Syrian border.. an ambush capable of annihilating the Egyptian army in the passes, down to the last soldier.

The terrifying plan drawn up by the Serasker "Hussein Pasha" with his French military adviser "Thevenin".. as an alternative plan.. in the event of the extremely slim possibility that "Ibrahim" might defeat them in the Levant.. which is exactly what happened.

On the horizon, the Ottoman forces come into view before "Ibrahim", positioned at the end of the Belen passes.. while the artillery on the mountain peaks is hidden and camouflaged.. waiting for the Egyptians to advance. And indeed "Ibrahim Pasha" advances with the cavalry of the centre toward the heart of the Ottoman forces.. and "Hassan al-Manasterli" toward the right wing, and "Suleiman Pasha the Frenchman" toward the left wing.

And the Ottoman commander raises his arm and lowers it, signalling the artillery to open fire, to annihilate the Egyptian forces advancing through the pass.

And the Ottoman artillery stands up, turns around, and does indeed open fire, to rain down on the place blazing, deadly shells.

But the Ottoman artillery does not shell the Egyptians, it shells the Ottoman forces themselves, in a stunning surprise that struck "Hussein Pasha" a mortal blow.. and for a moment, he did not understand what was happening.

The truth is that his intelligence plan was answered by "Ibrahim Pasha the Egyptian" with a counter-intelligence plan of the utmost brilliance...

For during the battles of the Levant, "Ibrahim Pasha" captured the French military adviser to the Ottoman army, "Thevenin", and set about interrogating him, and "Thevenin" declared sternly that the Egyptians would not get a single piece of information out of him, so Ibrahim Pasha ordered his commanders, and they gave the French adviser a gentle salute, with every single boot they wore, and rained blows on him until they turned him into dough, so that he would confess the plan and the reserve plan.. and his wife's favourite food.

And when "Ibrahim Pasha" received the Bedouin Arab spies loyal to the Ottoman commander, he already knew the plan, so when they told him of a false, fabricated plan for the Ottomans, he pretended to believe it, and rewarded them generously, and set them free again, so that they would return to the Serasker "Hussein".. who became completely convinced.. that "Ibrahim Pasha" had swallowed his bait, and fallen into his tight trap.

But "Ibrahim" Pasha, before advancing into the pass, sent his soldiers from Upper Egypt, accustomed to mountains and their ruggedness.. and they climbed the Belen mountains with speed and lightness, like commandos, and slaughtered the Ottoman soldiers, the guards of the artillery batteries, then slaughtered the Ottoman artillerymen themselves, in utter silence, and took complete control of the Ottoman artillery.

And with this simple intelligence trick, the tables turned and the result changed suddenly.

And the Ottoman army is defeated for the second time, and withdraws into Turkish territory, and for the first time since the era of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaitbay.. the Egyptian army extends its control over the whole of the Levant, including Iskenderun, and occupies the port of Payas, north of Iskenderun, and for the first time in three centuries.. the Egyptian army encamps on the Turkish-Syrian border, in July of that same year, 1832.

Suddenly a strange situation occurs that changes the course of events.. the Ottoman governor of "Diyarbakir" takes with him his colleague the governor of "Urfa", and they move from the Turkish border, cross into the Levant and from there to Aleppo.. and they come upon "Ibrahim" suddenly, carrying their shrouds in their hands.. and they kneel before him, declaring the submission of "Diyarbakir" and "Urfa" to the Egyptian state.

And these were the first Ottoman cities to surrender without attack or fighting.. so on the basis of this dangerous development, "Ibrahim Pasha" sends to his father that he is determined to advance.. and to strike the iron while it is hot.. and he tells his father of a great victory that people will talk about through the ages.. and gives him the glad tidings that from now on the imams will call him from the pulpits, the sheikhs in the study circles, and the monks in the churches and temples, by the title "Muhammad Ali Pasha, Sultan of the Muslims", and he actually asks his father to issue a decree to that effect in Egypt, Sudan, the Levant and the Hejaz.

But "Muhammad Ali" was a simple man.. and by the way, genius.. all genius.. lies in simplicity.. not in complexity, foolish plotting and empty appearances.. if you notice, every Ottoman sultan who came along gave himself a title of at least ten words.. beginning with "the brave one of the world".. "the succour of the world and the faith".. "the thunderbolt of Islam".. "the gate of conquest".. "the drainpipe of the Muslims' toilet".. etc.. but "Muhammad Ali", no.. he remained simple all his life.. and that is why he replied to "Ibrahim" with a historically preserved letter, in which he agreed to the advance into Ottoman territory.. but he concluded it by saying:

"You tell me in your letter that you want to strike the metal while it is hot.. and this I approve for you.. and that you want the sermon to be delivered in my name in all the mosques and temples, which I do not approve for you...

So know, my son, that we did not reach the position we now occupy, except by the power of gentleness and humility.. for it is enough for me to bear the name (Muhammad Ali) pure of every rank and adornment.. for it is greater to me than all the titles of the sultanate and kingship.. because this name alone is what granted me the honour that now covers me.. so how can I, my son, leave it for anything else? No, my son.. I keep my name (Muhammad Ali).. and you, my son, keep your name (Ibrahim); and upon you be God's mercy and blessings."

And the Egyptian army enters the province of Adana and Tarsus.. and encamps there for a while, until the Egyptian reconnaissance forces inform "Ibrahim" Pasha.. that the vast Ottoman army is advancing toward them under the command of the Grand Vizier "Rashid Muhammad Khoja Pasha".

And because "Ibrahim" is a clever commander.. he does not wait for the attack.. he leaves battalions of the army in the confrontation.. and marches himself with the rest of the army to the north.

And he besieges Ankara.

The Egyptian army encamps on the outskirts of Ankara, in the fiercest winter you could possibly imagine passing over the Ottoman state.. the temperature dropped below zero and snow fell the whole time, on Egyptian soldiers neither accustomed to nor expecting this climate.

And the garrison of Ankara and the Ottoman army battalions in it confront the Egyptian army, and open up on it with their artillery fire and shells.. but "Ibrahim" was at a safe range from the artillery fire.. so he watches the garrison coolly.. until its ammunition runs out or nearly does.. and on an evening in mid-October, of the year 1832, history pauses to record for us the terrifying events that shook the world that night.

The night Ankara fell.

The Egyptian army falls upon Ankara on the evening of mid-October of the year 1832 and routs the Ottoman army forces in it.. and occupies it.. in a stunning surprise that astonished the world.. the occupation of "Ankara" at that time.. was as if you today occupied New York in America, for example.. or as if the Egyptian army today stormed Germany and defeated NATO forces, and encamped on the outskirts of the capital, Berlin.

And the Egyptian army advances, under the command of one of the most brilliant military commanders in the history of the world, and defeats the Ottoman army time after time, and marches to Bursa and enters it.. and encamps there.. and there it defeats the last Ottoman garrison present.. which means that the Ottoman army had been almost completely destroyed.. and the road to the capital of the caliphate lay open.

And "Ibrahim" moves.. and encamps 200 kilometres away from the Ottoman Sultan's palace in the heart of Constantinople.

The capital of the Ottoman state, the city we all know today by its famous common name.

"Istanbul"...

All of this because of a simple counter-intelligence operation, entirely different from the operation that "Ibrahim Pasha" likewise carried out, in the year 1839, and which would cause the death of the Ottoman Sultan "Mahmud II", of a heart attack, from the sheer pain, rage and ruin.. and the bitterness of defeat in his throat, until the Day of Resurrection.

It seems that time has stolen us today and the tale has grown long.. so we conclude our episode today, with the Fatiha and peace upon the soul of "Ibrahim".. the man we never saw and never met.. who was born, raised, grew up and was brought up on the land of Egypt, and learned to love it, to defend it and to sacrifice for its soil, and who led the army of Egypt.. from victory to victory.

And we will continue our story later.

And there remains more of the conversation, God willing.

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