Battle of Walaja

The Battle of Walaja (Arabic: معركة الولجة) was fought in Mesopotamia (Iraq) in May 633 between the Rashidun Caliphate army under Khalid ibn al-Walid and Al-Muthanna ibn Haritha against the Sassanid Empire and its Arab allies. The Sassanid army is said to have been two times the size of the Muslim army during the battle.

This article is about a battle during the Arab invasion of Persia. For the Palestinian village south of Jerusalem, see al-Walaja.
Battle of Walaja
Part of the Islamic conquest of Persia
Campaigns of Khalid ibn al-Walid

Map showing the region in Iraq where Battle of Walaja was fought.
DateMay 633
Location
Mesopotamia (modern Iraq)
Result Rashidun Caliphate victory
Belligerents
Rashidun Caliphate Sasanian Empire,
Christian Arab allies
Commanders and leaders
Khalid ibn al-Walid Andarzaghar
Bahman Jadhuyih
Strength
15,000 25,000–30,000
Casualties and losses
~2,000+ 20,000

Khalid defeated the numerically-superior Sasanian forces by using a variation of the double envelopment tactical manoeuvre, similar to the manoeuvre that Hannibal had used to defeat the Roman forces at the Battle of Cannae; however, Khalid is said to have developed his version independently.

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