 In the spring of 1176 , another major confrontation occurred between the Zengids and the Ayyubids , this time at the Sultan 's Mound , 15 kilometres ( 9 @.@ 3 mi ) from Aleppo . Saladin again emerged victorious , but Saif al @-@ Din managed to narrowly escape . The Ayyubids proceeded to conquer other Syrian cities in the north , namely Ma <unk> al @-@ Numan , A <unk> , <unk> 'a , and Manbij , but failed to capture Aleppo during a second siege . An agreement was laid out , however , whereby <unk> , the governor of Aleppo , and his allies at Hisn Kayfa and Mardin , would recognize Saladin as the sovereign of the Ayyubids ' possessions in Syria , while Saladin allowed for <unk> and as @-@ Salih al @-@ Malik to continue their rule over Aleppo . 
