Alarmed at the spectacular success of the advance of Ibrahim's army into Syria, the Sultan sent a special emissary to Alexandria in an attempt to persuade Mehmed Ali to pull back his forces and to warn him that if he did not comply, then a huge army of newly trained nizami troops would be assembled against his son's forces. When it became clear that the Egyptian Pasha had no intention of pulling back his forces, the Porte ordered the Syrian valis to raise men and send them to Aleppo in preparation for fighting Ibrahim's troops. Mehmed Pasha, deputy of the vali of Aleppo, was given the title of Serasker (Commander-in-Chief) of Syria and Arabia and was entrusted with heading this force that it was hoped would stop the advance of the Egyptian army.

Builds on: "The Peace of Kütahia ended Egypt's first direct confrontation with the sultan."

Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed…, loc. 182