After a temporary occupation by
Turkish and
British troops in 1918–1920, Adjara became part of the
Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1920. After a brief military conflict in March 1921,
Ankara's government ceded the territory to Georgia under Article VI of
Treaty of Kars on the condition that autonomy be provided for the
Muslim population. The Soviet Union established the
Adjar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1921 in accord with this clause. Thus, Adjara was still a component part of Georgia, but with considerable local autonomy.