The sides involved were the First Republic of Armenia, which was commanded by Drastamat Kanayan, and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey with Kurdish volunteers.

The Turks had launched an offensive into the Oltu district, pushing the poorly-equipped Armenian forces backward; Sarikamish was captured without much of a fight.

On October 24, a significant Turkish attack on Surmalu began before dawn, with the 34th Regiment targeting Iğdır,[10] the district seat, as well as the Markara and Karakala bridges that connect Yerevan and Etchmiadzin.

[11] On the second day, Armenian armored vehicles from Kanaker joined Kuro Tarkhanian's group, breaching Turkish isolation in Igdir despite heavy machine-gun fire.

Dro's invading army established bases from the Karakala bridge to Verin and Nerkin Charukhchi, Yaidji, Khoshkhabar, the Igdir-Khalfalu road, Sultanabad, Mount Gasimtach, Dalikdash, Karakoyunlu, Dashburun, and Diza, constituting the battle.