WWI gravesite of Ottoman soldiers defending Jerusalem from General Allenby's invading armies unearthed

Human remains, thought to belong to Ottoman and imperial German soldiers, were discovered near Jerusalem recently. 

It happened when a Palestinian shepherd spotted wild dogs digging in an area North West of Jerusalem. Upon inspection, he saw human bones. He then notified a nearby local authority. Shortly after, a team of ten began surveying the site. 

"Forensic experts, investigators, archaeologists and a researcher examined the site for a whole day," Khaled Aoudallah, one of the surveyors of the site, told The New Arab. 

Aoudallah, a lecturer at Bir Zeit university, believes the remains belong to Ottoman and German soldiers killed in the battles over Jerusalem against the invading British armies in 1917 during World War I. 

"We counted 15 skeletons," Aoudallah told TNA. 

German-made Mauser gun ammunition clips and bullet casings were picked from the site. Interestingly ammunition for a Lee Enfield, a British-made gun, was also found. 

"Evidence leads us to believe the burial site dates to the time of the first World War. We found ammunition clips, bullet casings and army uniform buttons similar to those of the Ottoman armies," he added. 

The Palestinian surveyors' work was cut abruptly when the Israeli army arrived. The gravesite is located in "Area C" of the occupied West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority (PA) has no control. The surveyors were ordered out. It is unclear what the Israeli army intends to do with discovery. 

Turkish forces withdrew from the City of Jerusalem on 9 December 1917. The night before, it became evident to the Turkish army command and their German allies that the Allied forces under General Allenby's command were on the verge of capturing the city.

"In view of the fierce siege and the heavy bombardment on this safe city, we are forced to surrender it to safeguard its holy places in the hope that you would preserve Al Quds (Jerusalem) as we have for nearly five hundred years," The surrender letter signed by Izzat Bey, the Turkish governor of Jerusalem, read.