Under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Kazim He directed Karabekir there, and as a result of a successful war, the Turks annexed Kars and other provinces to their territory.

In late September 1920 the Armenians initiated several attacks against Turkish forces in the area.

On 24 September an Armenian force of at least 800 men, supported with nine machine guns, began an unsuccessful attack against the weak Turkish entrenchments in Bardız Şenkaya.

[2] These attacks gave the Turkish commanders an insight into Armenian military capabilities.

The remaining Armenian forces retreated to the Kötek-Selim-Göle line and stayed there until 30 September.