Born in Köprülü (now Veles, North Macedonia), in the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire into an Albanian family, Kâzım Fikri graduated from the Ottoman Military College in 1902 and completed the College of War in 1905.

He was one of the military commanders who organized resistance groups against the occupation of Izmir by Greek forces.

In 1921, Kâzım Özalp was promoted to the rank General for his success at the Battle of Sakarya.

[3] Already a member of the first term of the parliament of the newly established Republic as an MP from Balıkesir Province, Kâzım Fikri served as the Minister of Defense in several cabinets from 1921 to 1925, and later from 1935 to 1939.

[4] Kâzım Özalp wrote his memoirs in his book Milli Mücadele ("National Struggle").