Khalid’s string of Muslim victories curtails Persian…

Khalid’s string of Muslim victories curtails Persian efforts to recapture lower Mesopotamia and leaves the Persian capital Ctesiphon unguarded and vulnerable to Muslim attack.

Before assaulting the Persian capital, Khalid, fearing that the Persians will execute a well planned re-invasion of lost territory, decides to eliminate all Persian forces from the south and west, and thus marches against the city of Firaz, the frontier between the empires of Ctesiphon and Constantinople.

Garrisons of both empires are stationed here.

He marches to Firaz with a Muslim force and arrives here in the first week of December 633.

In the face of the Muslim threat, the East Roman garrison decides to come to the aid of the Persian garrison.

The united forces of the imperial garrisons and the Christian Arab auxiliary are at least ten times the number of the Muslim force.

Impressed by the imposing array of the coalition, the East Roman general sends a haughty message to Khalid, demanding an unconditional surrender.

Khalid replies that he will give reply on the battlefield.

Khalid gives the enemy the option to cross the Euphrates.

As soon as the enemy has crossed the river, Khalid commands the Muslim force into action.

The united imperial forces have the river at their back, and the position is similar to that at the battle of Mazar.

At Firaz, Khalid adopts the same tactics as he had adopted at Mazar.

As the front ranks of both the forces commit to the fighting, Khalid fixes his enemy on either flank with the help of his rear wings.

Making a swift lightning movement, the Muslims dash for the bridge on the river, and succeed in occupying it.

The enemy is thus held in a pincer movement.

The Muslims intensify the attack and, in the mortal conflict that ensues, the enemy soon loses ground.

The withdrawing forces jump into the river in a state of horror or confusion while the Muslim forces shoot arrows at the retreating soldiers.

It is a bloody battle, and over fifty thousand men fall.

The battle is soon over and Firaz, the last stronghold of Persian Mesopotamia, falls to the Muslims.

The battle of Firaz adds further luster to the Muslim arms.