The Syrians fought with enthusiasm for sometime but could...

The Syrians fought with enthusiasm for sometime but could not bear the repeated onslaught of the Iraqis and started running away defeated. The territory of the al-Jazirah was now devoid of any Syrian army men and the people of the area, who were the sympathizers of the fans of `Uthman, sat quietly at their homes. Malik sufficiently reprimanded those rebels and took oaths of allegiance and obedience from them and took control of the administration of the territory of the al-Jazirah in his hands.