The arrival of a Byzantine relief army under the emperor in April 995 compelled the Fatimid forces to give up the siege and retreat south.

[1] To give more strategic depth to the new possession, the Byzantine general Peter advanced on the Hamdanid capital city of Aleppo.

[6] For the Byzantines, retaining Aleppo as a buffer was vital to prevent the emergence of a strong Muslim state on its frontier that could directly threaten the Empire.

[8] As the Fatimids under general Manjutakin laid siege to Aleppo in the spring of 994, the Byzantine doux Michael Bourtzes led an army to relieve the city.

[9] The Fatimids built a fortified village in front of Aleppo, replete with bazaars and baths, in which to quarter their soldiers for the winter.

[10] As the Fatimid army retreated south, desertions mounted and the civilian population suffered due to the depredations of the marauding soldiers.