From 1918 to 1919, the region was the place for the Mughan clashes, between the newly formed Azerbaijani forces, backed by the Caucasian Army of Islam of the Ottoman Empire, and accompanied by the local Talysh volunteers, and the members of the Russian White movement, with the aid of the self-proclaimed Mughan Soviet Republic.

According to Mehman Suleymanov, the Muslim population of the region was agitated by the Soviet authorities' policies against the local traditions and customs.

The largest of the detachments was led by the ex-Ottoman officer Yusuf Cemal Bey, who remained in Azerbaijan after the fall of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, as well as Najafgulu Khan and Shahveran.

The Soviet militia group based in the territory of Zuvand District (now Lerik) was destroyed by Shahveran's detachment.

[3] To prevent further escalation, the 11th Army Command dispatched the 248th and 249th Infantry Regiments, the cruiser Rosa Luxemburg, the destroyer Pruitki, the Kursk, and five additional transport ships with landing parties on board to the region.

However, the rebels had no means of withstanding the long-range guns of the Soviet ships, and constant naval bombardment forced them to retreat.

Soviet forces, actively employing naval artillery, captured and strengthened their positions in the coastal strip between Lankaran and Astara.