ression ▁of ▁the ▁revol t ▁to ▁By z antine ▁territory , ▁that ▁the ▁F at im ids ▁agreed ▁to ▁ren ounce ▁the ▁By z antine ▁payment ▁of ▁t ribute ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁tr uce , ▁l est ▁the ▁By z ant ines ▁left ▁the ▁refuge es ▁to ▁star ve ▁to ▁death . ▁ ▁Revol t ▁of ▁Ab u ▁Y az id ▁In ▁February ▁ 9 4 4 , ▁a ▁K har ij ite ▁revol t ▁broke ▁out ▁among ▁the ▁Ber bers ▁of ▁the ▁Aur ès ▁Mountains , ▁led ▁by ▁the ▁asc etic ▁pre acher ▁Ab u ▁Y az id . ▁The ▁re bell ion ▁spread ▁quickly , ▁taking ▁the ▁F at im id ▁regime ▁by ▁surprise : ▁towns ▁fell ▁one ▁after ▁another , ▁K ut ama ▁forces ▁that ▁tried ▁to ▁opp ose ▁the ▁reb els ▁were ▁defeated , ▁and ▁on ▁ 7 ▁August , ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Lar ibus ▁fell ▁to ▁Ab u ▁Y az id ' s ▁men . ▁▁ ▁React ing ▁to ▁this ▁un for ese en ▁threat , ▁al - Q a ' im ▁dispatch ed ▁his ▁chief ▁command ers ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁main ▁cities ▁of ▁If ri qi ya . ▁K hal il ▁with ▁a ▁thousand ▁of ▁his ▁men ▁was ▁to ▁hold ▁K air ou an , ▁where ▁he ▁bus ied ▁himself ▁with ▁repair ing ▁the ▁city ' s ▁fort ifications . ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁October , ▁Ab u ▁Y az id ' s ▁forces ▁appeared ▁before ▁the ▁Ag hl ab id - era ▁palace - city ▁of