After defeating Mus'ab, Abd al-Malik sent his general Hajjaj ibn Yusuf to Mecca at the head of 2,000 Syrian troops, with instructions to secure Ibn al-Zubayr's surrender by negotiation and to give him safe conduct. Hajjaj was ordered not to spill blood in the city, but to lay siege if Ibn al-Zubayr refused to surrender.[16] Following Abd al-Malik's orders, Hajjaj went to his hometown Ta'if instead of going directly to Mecca.[17] He arrived in Ta'if in January 692[18] and sent several detachments to the plain of Arafat and defeated Ibn al-Zubayr's followers in skirmishes.[19] Negotiations with Ibn al-Zubayr failed, prompting Hajjaj to request reinforcements from Abd al-Malik and ask permission to attack Mecca.[20] Abd al-Malik granted permission and ordered Tariq ibn Amr, who held Medina, to reinforce Hajjaj at Mecca.[21]