 On 26 October, Zayd al-Atrash, a Druze rebel commander and brother of rebel leader Sultan al-Atrash, attempted to lead a foray into the Maydan quarter of Damascus, but withdrew after Maydani notables urged him to retreat for fear of further French bombardment.Meanwhile, fighting took place across the eastern suburbs of Damascus, with French forces consisting of troops from the French Foreign Legion, Circassian cavalry and Moroccan "spahi" units looting numerous villages and estates in the region, contributing to the fledgling morale of Syrian Arab nationalists in Damascus.However, with the uptick in peasants made homeless by the French assaults on the villages, the number of recruits into the various rebel bands swelled.