Despite being outnumbered six to one, the Central Powers were able to defeat the Armenian–Soviet forces before they reached Ganja, the headquarters of the Ottoman Islamic Army of the Caucasus.

The Shaumian-led Baku Commune decided to launch a military operation to prevent the Ottoman Army from recovering in Ganja.

The commander of the Military and Maritime Affairs Committee of the Baku People's Commissariat Grigory Korganov signed an order on 4 June 1918 asking the Red Army to take action.

[1] The Red Army forces, which began to gather at Kazi-Magomed Station, set off on 10 June for Ganja, then the capital of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

There was a small military unit led by Georgian-born Levan Makalov, consisting of Georgians and Azerbaijanis against the Red Army.

At this time, Shaumian learned the Ottoman military forces had not yet reached Ganja, where Armenian residents were clashing with the Ottoman–Azerbaijani troops.

In a telegram he sent to Vladimir Lenin, he wrote: The frontal forces of the military occupied the Syghyr Station on 11 June.

[8] Soviet historians claim the Ottoman Army had a numerical advantage over the Bolsheviks, but Mustafa Görüryılmaz notes that in reality, the opposite was true.

He writes that "during the beginning of the battle, the Turkish military force that had reached Azerbaijan numbered fewer than five thousand.

The first military institution, the Azerbaijani Special Corps (ASC) led by Ali-Agha Shiklinski, which was established on 26 June, consisted of fewer than 5,000 men, although their possible involvement is unclear.

[citation needed] Ali-Agha Shiklinski's minor involvement in the battle also indicates that the ASC might have fought alongside the Ottoman army.

[10] Furthermore, an unknown number of volunteers from Aghdash, Aghstafa, Aghsu, Barda, Ganja, Goychay, Shaki, Yevlakh and Zagatala also joined the Ottoman–Azerbaijani coalition forces.

[14] In a telegraph sent to Lenin Shaumian said that the "Bolshevik–Dashnak forces showed great courage at the Battle of Goychay, but the commanders leading the army acted extremely cowardly".

He also noted that anti-communist propaganda carried out by members of the British Secret Intelligence Service had a great impact on the defeat of the army.

On 30 July, Bicherakhov, abandoned by the Bolshevik and Armenian units that surrounded him having realized the futility of military operations against the Ottoman-Azerbaijani troops.

The clashes that had occurred in the Goychay region were a turning point for the Red Army, causing their withdrawal from Azerbaijan leading to the nation's independence.

After some days of fighting, the Ottoman forces defeated the Armenian troops, resulting in them retreating to the village of Galakar.

[23] The commander of the 10th Caucasian Infantry Regiment ordered Topal Osman to distract the Bolsheviks near Garamaryam to prevent them from attacking Goychay.

[23] After this defeat, Nuru Pasha, commander of a force consisting of Azerbaijanis Ali-Agha Shikhlinsky and 5th Caucasus Infantry Division chief of staff Rüştü Bey, left Ganja and arrived at Myusyuslyu Station on 18 June.

There, they met with the chief of staff of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, Nazım Bey, and commanders of the 29th Regiment in Veysalli and discussed the status of the war.

Then, Nuru Pasha and few other high-ranking generals moved to Goychay, where they met with the commander of the 10th Caucasian Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Topal Osman, and again discussed the state of the war.

In his speech, he explained that: "The Ottoman Empire, sent soldiers to Caucasus from their homeland to liberate their Azerbaijani brothers and other Turks living in the region from the enemy's oppression".

Since you're not joining the army, at least you have to help by carrying food and water for these soldiers.Nuru Pasha met and discussed with Azerbaijani intellectuals and elders in the Geokchaysky Uyezd.

Many teenagers and adults from Goychay, Aghdash, Yevlakh and even Barda arrived at the front line to receive military training.

[24] In the reports, Nuru Pasha stated that "the newly formed Caucasian Islamic Army cannot achieve success from its activities.

[30] The 10th Caucasian Infantry Regiment initiated a counter-attack on the Red Army and pushed them about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away from their previous positions.

[11] Red Army forces launched a night attack on the 5th Caucasus Infantry Division in Goychay from their left flank with the help of local Armenian and Russian villages.

That night, a new volunteer cavalry division, under the leadership of General-Major Ahmad Hamdi Gara Agha Zadeh arrived at Ganja from Gazakh.

The 9th Caucasian Regiment, were stationed in Poylu under the command of Cemil Cahit Toydemir, and militia from Shaki and Zagatala, led by Yusif bey Tahirov, were ordered to move to Goychay.

Receiving artillery and fire support, the 25th Infantry Battalion and local militia successfully encircled the Bolshevik forces.