Following Qalawun's death in November 1290, al-Ashraf Khalil recalled Ibn al-Sal'us from the Hejaz and appointed him wazir (chief financial adviser) in place of Emir Alam al-Din Sanjar al-Shuja'i al-Mansuri in December.[5][6] Ibn al-Sal'us was the only non-mamluk appointed to high office during al-Ashraf Khalil's reign.[6] Ibn al-Sal'us played a commanding role in Mamluk military campaign against the Crusader states along the coast of Syria, including the conquest of Acre in June 1291.[3] In 1292, he participated in the Mamluk campaign against Armenia alongside al-Ashraf Khalil,[2] who joined with Ibn al-Sal'us and his troops in Damascus on his way to the Armenian front.[7] and was present during the capture of Qala'at al-Rum.[2] A civilian, Ibn al-Sal'us's assumption of military command during the Armenian campaigns raised the ire of some of the senior Mamluk commanders, including Emir al-Shuja'i.[2]