 Abu Ja’far Ahmad's rule soon expanded outside Zarang; ‘Abdallah's representative in al-Rukhkhaj defected to him and the citizens of Bust threw their support behind the Saffarid as well.‘Abdallah was defeated in battle by Abu Ja’far Ahmad's supporters, forcing him to make for Samanid Khurasan.He was captured, however, and brought back to Zarang in October 923.