After hearing the news, Mar Benyamin arranged a meeting with the Central council of Assyrians and Armenians and there they came to the agreement to fight if the Iranians were to attempt to expel them.

[4] On February 9, some Assyrians were entering the city through the western gate when they were shot upon and killed by the soldiers of Arshad el Moolk.

Soon after, a special force was sent by Arshad el Moolk to surround Agha Petros in his home which was located in the Christian quarter of Urmia.

Agha Petros told his family to hide and proceeded to shoot a machine gun he had planted in a position within the building at them, while the walls and windows of his mansion were being riddled by their bullets.

[1] Soon after an Assyrian force of 600 where sent to occupy the city's House of Customs, soon after Agha Petros rode to a village called Hyperabat to bring weapons and cannons with Russian trainers left there and soon after arrived in Urmia.

Their position faced directly the ancient parts of the city which the following morning would be held by very large forces of the Iranian troops.

Meanwhile, the men of Malik Khoshaba who were at the southern gate and directly opposite the ancient defensive parts within the walls repelled back the troops of Arshad el Moolk.