In the late 1930s, the regime, then led by Khorloogiin Choibalsan, closed almost all of Mongolia's over 700 Buddhist monasteries and killed at least 30,000 people, of whom 18,000 were lamas.
I slutningen af 1930'erne lukkede styret under Choibalsan praktisk taget alle landets over 700 buddhistiske klostre og dræbte mindst 30.000 mennesker, heraf 18.000 lamaer.