the byzantine garrison at babylon had grown bolder than ever before and had begun to sally forth across the ditch, though with little success. there had been a stalemate between the muslim and byzantine forces at babylon, until the muslim commanders devised an ingenious strategy and inflicted heavy casualties on the byzantine forces by encircling them from three sides during one of their sallies. the byzantines were able to retreat back to the fort, but were left too weak for any further offensive action.