The Battle of Siffin was the second battle of the First Fitna, after the Battle of the Camel. It was fought between Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth of the Rashidun caliphs, and Muawiyah I on the banks of the Euphrates river in Siffin around the present-day Syrian city of Raqqa. The armies had encamped at the site for more than two months prior to the battle and the offensive was finally launched by the Qurra' in Ali's army on July 26 (8 Safar 37 AH) and the battle lasted till July 28 (10 Safar 37 AH). The battle ended when the Syrian army was about to be routed but in a sudden turn of events both parties agreed to settle their conflict via arbitration.