 The army, consisting of five thousand Turkish and Ferghanan ("Faraghinah") soldiers under the leadership of Kalbatikin al-Turki and two thousand North African ("Magharibah") soldiers under the leadership of Muhammad b. Rashid al-Maghribi, departed Samarra on February 24.Six days later they arrived in Ukbara, where Abu Ahmad led the prayers in the name of al-Mu'tazz.The Turks and North Africans began looting the area between Ubkara and Baghdad, causing many of the local residents to abandon their estates and fields.