 Celebratory fire during the festivities gave rise to rumours that Christians were arming themselves.General reforms occurring within the Ottoman Empire as it attempted to modernize, specifically census-taking and the forced conscription of citizens, also led to increased tensions and feelings of insecurity for the Muslim residents of Aleppo.Following the first-ever census of Aleppo's adult males, rumors spread that the Ottoman Empire intended to begin to conscript adult males in the area.