 On 30 March , the Kurdish irregulars confronted Aqil 's irregulars and Bedouin allies at the Horns of Hattin , near the village of Hattin . For the most part , both sides were armed with swords and spears and to a lesser extent , rifles , rather than the modern weaponry at the Ottoman military 's disposal . Initially , the battle was going in Shamdin 's favor and a portion of Aqil 's troops began to flee . However , Salih Agha , Aqil 's brother , led his group in a surprise attack against the Kurds . As a result , Shamdin 's forces were dealt a decisive blow and commander Hasan Agha was among the 150 fatalities of that battle . 
