Following the mass killings perpetrated in mid September 1943 by the German Wehrmacht at Viannos, the partisan group of Manolis Bandouvas fled westwards, being chased by the Germans. Their intention was to reach the beach of Rodakino, from where British SOE agents planned to evacuate Bandouvas to Egypt. In early October 1943, Bandouvas group was hiding in the area of Mt. Tsilivdikas (), located on the southern outskirts of Lefka Ori. There, they had been reinforced by two partisan groups from Kallikratis, led by Nikos Manouselis (Νίκος Μανουσέλης) and Andreas Manouselis (Ανδρέας Μανουσέλης). On October 4, 1943 the partisans clashed with and eliminated a German detachment near their hideout.