Geok Tepe ('Blue Hill') seems to refer to the general area, the modern town, a nearby village and a mountain to the south.

The area was part of the Akhal Oasis where streams coming down from the Kopet Dagh support irrigation agriculture.

The Russians killed all Turkmen males who had not succeeded in escaping from the fort, but spared about 5,000 women and children.

By the first half of December he had enough men and supplies and moved out to occupy a fort he renamed ‘Samur’ a few kilometres west of Geok Tepe.

By the end of the month Skobelev had 4020 infantry, 750 cavalry as well as artillery, rockets, several machine guns and heliographs for communications.

To protect this a detachment was sent to capture a small redoubt to the north and General Petrushevich was killed after rushing through the gate.

The Russians only had enough men to hold a siege line in the southeast corner and the Tekkes were usually allowed to move in and out on the north side of the fort.

On January 18 a mine was started on the southeast side and two days later artillery made a breach in the south wall which was quickly repaired.

By afternoon the hill at the northwest corner was taken and the Tekkes were fleeing over the north wall, pursued by cavalry.

On 30 January the Russians moved 45 km (28 mi) southeast and took Ashgabat which was then a fairly small place.

[5] The last paragraph of Skobelev's official report reads: "After the capture of the fortress, 6,500 bodies were buried inside it.