According to the modern historian P. Oberling, Fath-Ali Khan was "the most famous of the Afshar governors of Urmia.
[3] Through extensive local support, Fath-Ali Khan was able to control all of the Azerbaijan province by 1749.
However, Zand morale soon rose, following the escape of the prisoners captured by Azad at Pari.
The core unit of the Zands put a fierce resistance to give the women and baggage time to escape.
[9] However, Fath-Ali Khan and his Afshar troops were soon ambushed at the narrow Kamarej pass by a combined force of Zand, Dashtestani and Khesht musketeers.
The survivors fled to Shiraz, which Azad Khan was forced to abandon ten days later.
[9][10] In August 1756, Azad Khan chased after a retreating Qajar force to the coast of the Caspian Sea.
He briefly occupied Maragheh, but his soldiers were too lightly-equipped to capture Tabriz, which was well protected by Fath-Ali Khan.
A few weeks later, Karim Khan besieged Urmia, which eventually fell in February 1763.