Hakkari expedition of 1916
The Hakkari expedition of 1916 was a number of raids during World War I conducted by the Assyrian volunteers against local Hakkari Kurdish tribesmen who the year prior, with the help of the Ottoman Empire, expelled the Assyrians from Hakkari, resulting in their settling in Russian-controlled Urmia and its surroundings.
Preparations for Expedition
On May 21, Malik Ismail II and Malik Khoshaba with their fighters left Urmia and the surrounding settlements to Salmas, they arrived the next day and met Dawid Mar Shimun and Malik Shamizdin among other tribal chiefs and their fighters whom had been waiting for the arrival of Ismail and Khoshaba. On May 23, they left to Bashqalan and reached Qudchanis on May 27 and found only a thousand cossacks guarding it.Battles in the mountains of Hakkari
From Qudchanis the Assyrians split into two branches the first under the leadership of Malik Ismail went to darawa where he met Tyaraye who had re-established themselves in their former villages and the second under Dawid Mar Shimun went on the road to Jurlamerk, they reached Tkhuma and found it in ruins and empty. In Tkhuma both forces met and, after several fierce battles, many inaccessible Kurdish castles and fortresses were destroyed.Soon after the army returned for Chal, whose fortress was in very mountainous terrain, but after the Assyrians divided themselves in three groups, the Assyrians attacked all the villages around and looted many sheep and cattle. Dawid Mar Shimun waited until the whole Assyrian force pulled out and the booty from the looting was divided.