 There is no known evidence that the horsemen of the ancient world used stirrups and literary sources indicate al-Muhallab's army was the first to use them during the fighting with the Kharijites in southern Persia.Al-Muhallab's innovation would be used thenceforth by Muslim armies.Qatari and his band were later defeated by Sufyan ibn Abrad al-Kalbi in 698/99.