About a year after the events in Van , the Armenian Revolutionary Federation decided to retaliate and " punish " the Kurdish Mazrik tribe for its role in the Hamidian massacres and its ambush of the defenders of Van . The Mazrik tribe were camped in the fields of Khanasor , near Avarayr . The ARF , with the support of the Hunchakians and the Armenakans , organized an attack on the tribe . The operation was planned by Nikol Duman alongside " Khanasora " Vartan Mehrpanian and Ishkhan Arghoutian , all of whom participated as commanders of the operation . Among the Armenian soldiers also there were disagreements . For their settlement the party sent in Tavriz Harutiun Shahrigian and as a result they come to conclusion of holding an action . On 25 July 1897 , at dawn , the 250 Armenian fedayees attacked and killed the fighting men of Mazrik tribe , sparing the women and the children , among whom the Mazrik chief , Sharaf Bey , learned Armenians were coming earlier and managed to escape by wearing women 's clothing , leaving the women and children behind . The attack ended on 27 July 1897
Hamidian massacres
Hamidian massacres
Khanasor Expedition