The reeds made the marsh very difficult for enemies to travel through; only small boats that were driven by poles could navigate the area.
He attempted to dam the waterways, and create a raised road to allow his troops to approach Hasan's fortress on foot.
The campaign cost a large amount of money, and it effectively stopped any trade boats from travelling the Tigris.
His failure in the campaign, as well as his fear of 'Adud al-Dawla's wrath, eventually caused Mutahhar to commit suicide.
At one point, he even gave the Batihah ruler control of Lower Wasit, in exchange for an annual tribute of 1.3 million dirhams.
As a result of the fighting, one of 'Izz al-Dawla's sons, Abu Nasr, ended up taking refuge in the Batihah.
In around 1017, the Buyid ruler of Kerman, Abu'l-Fawaris, entered into a struggle with Sultan and asked Muhadhdhib al-Dawla for assistance.
Soon afterwards, the military junta that effectively controlled Sultan al-Dawla's government demanded that al-Sharabi turn over Ibn Sahlan, a former Buyid governor of Iraq who had fled to the Batihah.
Al-Sharabi, keeping in mind the Batihah's tradition of not turning over fugitives, refused, whereupon the junta convinced Sultan al-Dawla to send an expedition to the swamp.