According to Archimandrite Kyprianos, in February 1766 the bishops heard that the rebel Khalil was besieging Nicosia:
Suleiman arrived in Nicosia from Kyrenia. There, after conferring with Ibrahim Bey and the natives, he decided that it would be difficult to put down the rising, and wrote at once to the Porte. Orders were sent then to Kior Ahmed, a Pasha of two tails, to Kior Keloghlu of Caramania, and to the Alay Bey of Attalia, Jafer Bey, to transport to Cyprus a sufficient force to reduce the rebel Khalil and his following. Before the news of their coming reached Khalil or the people generally, Hafuz efendi’s term had come to an end, and Suleiman effendi was proclaimed Governor. The rebel, seeing now he had been deceived by his “dear father” (Suleiman), marched against him and on June 1 again encamped at Mandia, full of wrath, and determined utterly to destroy the capital, and slaughter its inhabitants, his father and all, in revenge for the trick. Suleiman began to tremble before his son Khalil, ordered the gates to be shut, and a watch of Turks and Greeks to be set round the citadel. Then, affecting to believe that the bishops were the cause of the trouble which was endangering his life, he ordered them to sleep in the Serai, and to remain there until they saw what would happen, and the order was obeyed. Khalil fired into the city day and night, and the citizens replied but no sally was made. Ten or twelve days at the most elapsed before the Pasha and his companions arrived, with a force of two thousand men. Khalil immediately raised the siege, and returned to his castle, where he fortified himself and a large following. The Pasha reached Nicosia, and marched on to Kyrenia with Kior Keloghlu and the Bey of Attalia.