in sha‘ban month 8 a.h., news reached the prophet [pbuh] of amassing troops by bani ghatfan, still outside the domain of islam. he urgently summoned abu qatadah and sent him at the head of fifteen men to discipline those outlaws.

it took fifteen days to teach them an unforgettable lesson. some were killed, others captured and all their property confiscated. [rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 2/233; talqeeh fuhoom ahl al-athar p.33]