Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia was a part of the Ottoman Empire, also know as Iraq, roughly corresponding to Iraq today.

As common for British Empire post offices abroad, post offices under the Indian postal administration using Indian stamps existed in Mesopotamia since 1868, at Baghdad and Basra ("Busrah"). These usages are recognizable by the cancels used. These offices were closed at the beginning of World War I (c. July 1914). In November 1914, British forces invaded the region.  File:Mesopotamia BAGHDAD.jpg|2 annas File:Mesopotamia IEF.jpg|8a Mosul surcharge. File:Mesopotamia IRAQ.jpg|10 rupees general issue 
 * After Basra was captured by British forces, in 1915, the Indian post office was re-opened with new cancel types. Use of Indian stamps was ended with the release of general issues in September 1918. See below.
 * In March 1917, British forces captured Baghdad. Provisional surcharges, in Indian currency, were issued on various Turkish stamps reading BAGHDAD / IN BRITISH / OCCUPATION. These are rather crudely done and have since been forged.
 * In September 1918, Turkish stamps were overprinted IRAQ / IN BRITISH / OCCUPATION.
 * In November 1918, British forces captured Mosul. In February 1919, surcharges were created on various Turkish revenue stamps reading POSTAGE / I.E.F. 'D'  with new values.
 * In 1920, a League of Nations mandate gave control of Iraq to Great Britain. Stamps for the new Kingdom of Iraq would not be issued until 1923.

See

 * Iraq

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