 The commander of the expedition, al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, had risen through the ranks and would become a highly competent and efficient supporter of the caliph.Al-Hajjaj remained encamped for several months in Ta'if, east of Mecca, and fought numerous skirmishes with Zubayrid loyalists in the plain of Arafat.Abd al-Malik sent him reinforcements led by his "mawlā", Tariq ibn Amr, who had earlier captured Medina from its Zubayrid governor.