|
Sudan
Reconquest of Sudan
In 1892 Herbert Kitchener (later Lord Kitchener) became sirdar,
or commander, of the Egyptian army and started preparations for
the reconquest of Sudan. The British decision to occupy Sudan
resulted in part from international developments that required
the country be brought under British supervision. By the early
1890s, British, French, and Belgian claims had converged at the
Nile headwaters. Britain feared that the other colonial powers
would take advantage of Sudan's instability to acquire territory
previously annexed to Egypt. Apart from these political considerations,
Britain wanted to establish control over the Nile to safeguard
a planned irrigation dam at Aswan.
In 1895 the British government authorized Kitchener to launch
a campaign to reconquer Sudan. Britain provided men and matériel
while Egypt financed the expedition. The Anglo-Egyptian Nile Expeditionary
Force included 25,800 men, 8,600 of whom were British. The remainder
were troops belonging to Egyptian units that included six battalions
recruited in southern Sudan. An armed river flotilla escorted
the force, which also had artillery support. In preparation for
the attack, the British established army headquarters at Wadi
Halfa and extended and reinforced the perimeter defenses around
Sawakin. In March 1896, the campaign started; in September, Kitchener
captured Dunqulah. The British then constructed a rail line from
Wadi Halfa to Abu Hamad and an extension parallel to the Nile
to transport troops and supplies to Barbar. Anglo-Egyptian units
fought a sharp action at Abu Hamad, but there was little other
significant resistance until Kitchener reached Atbarah and defeated
the Ansar. After this engagement, Kitchener's soldiers marched
and sailed toward Omdurman, where the Khalifa made his last stand.
On September 2, 1898, the Khalifa committed his 52,000-man army
to a frontal assault against the Anglo-Egyptian force, which was
massed on the plain outside Omdurman. The outcome never was in
doubt, largely because of superior British firepower. During the
five-hour battle, about 11,000 Mahdists died whereas AngloEgyptian
losses amounted to 48 dead and fewer than 400 wounded.
Mopping-up operations required several years, but organized resistance
ended when the Khalifa, who had escaped to Kurdufan, died in fighting
at Umm Diwaykarat in November 1899. Many areas welcomed the downfall
of his regime. Sudan's economy had been all but destroyed during
his reign and the population had declined by approximately one-half
because of famine, disease, persecution, and warfare. Moreover,
none of the country's traditional institutions or loyalties remained
intact. Tribes had been divided in their attitudes toward Mahdism,
religious brotherhoods had been weakened, and orthodox religious
leaders had vanished.
Data as of June 1991
|
