the next few days the camp was almost completely deserted. Consequently, he had to abandon his plans. The slaughter of Ali's erstwhile allies and pious Qur'an readers undermined Ali's position as Caliph. He was eventually assassinated by the Kharijite Abd al-Rahman ibn Muljam in January 661. Although the Kharijites were crushed, their insurgency continued for several years and the Battle of Nahrawan cemented their break from the Muslim community. Many of them abandoned city life and resorted to brigandage, robbery, pillaging settled areas and other anti-state activities throughout the reign of Ali and later that of Mu'awiya (), who became caliph a few months after Ali's assassination. During the second Muslim civil war they controlled large parts of Arabia and Persia, but were later subdued by the Umayyad governor of Iraq, Hajjaj ibn Yusuf. They were, however, not eliminated until the 10th century. References Sources Nahrawan First Fitna Shia days of remembrance Kharijite rebellions