Raymond did not attend the assembly of the leaders of the crusade at Acre on 24 June 1148. He also kept away from the Crusaders' siege of Damascus in 1148. In contrast with Raymond, Alfons-Jordan's illegitimate son, Bertrand, who had arrived in his father's retinue, participated in the Crusaders' fights. He decided to lay claim to Tripoli and took possession of the fortress of Areimeh in the summer of 1149. After being unable to expel Bertrand from the fort which controlled important roads in the county, Raymond sought assistance from Mu'in ad-Din Unur, the Muslim ruler of Damascus, as well as from Zengi's son, Nur ad-Din. The two Muslim rulers captured Areimeh and imprisoned Bertrand and his family. After destroying the castle, they returned the territory to Raymond. Raymond granted the land to the Knights Templar in the early 1150s.