After capturing Baghdad, British General Frederick Stanley Maude believed the British position was threatened by the Ottoman forces of Khalil Pasha, who possessed 10,000 troops to the north of Baghdad, and Ali Ishan Bey's force who commanded 15,000 troops entering the region from Persia.

[2] To maintain British control of Baghdad, Maude outlined four objectives that needed to be met: Pasha's 6th Army needed to be driven north, the 8th Corps moving to join the 6th Army must be driven away or destroyed, the rail yard at Samarrah must be captured to prevent an Ottoman buildup of troops and munitions, and the British must secure the dams around Baghdad so that the Ottomans could not break them and flood the area.

[2] The Engineer Battalion, 1.5 field batteries and the cavalry company of Ethem's Platoon arrived and took up positions south of Samarra on April 19.

Without waiting for the army's response, Colonel Şevket Bey dispatched the 16th Infantry Regiment in Deliabbas in the direction of the Arab village.

The troops at Jabeli Hamrin were to be withdrawn to the Kara Tepe ridges in case of serious enemy pressure.

The commanders of the 1st Infantry Regiment and the cavalry brigade were likewise authorized to withdraw 20 kilometers east of Kifri in case of difficulty.

The 14th Division arrived today (April 19, 1917) in the Ruweirzat area, 7 kilometers south of Bent Ethem, and went into camp.

For its own safety, the division first moved the 3rd Battalion of the 37th Infantry Regiment, reinforced with cavalry and artillery, to the west bank of the Ethem stream.

[2] On 18 April, the Black Watch pushed forward a patrol along the east bank of the Dujail scouting the Ottoman position at Istabulat.

[4] On 19 April, the Black Watch Battalion drove the enemy advance troops back with little loss.

[4][5] During the night the British built three strong posts a mile in advance, two on the east and one on the west bank of the Dujail.

[6] At 6.30 a.m. the Black Watch and Gurkhas reached the foot of the high ridge, where the enemy lay waiting for the assault.

[5][6] The intention in pressing in first on the right with the 21st Brigade was to give the Ottomans a line of retreat to the left to distract his attention as much as possible from the troops who had to advance over more open ground.

[2] Two Victoria Cross were awarded to John Reginald Graham and Charles Melvin for their actions at Istabulat.