What happened at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898?

The Battle of Omdurman, fought on September 2, 1898, was a decisive military engagement that ended the Mahdist state in the Sudan.12

Led by Maj. Gen. Herbert Kitchener, an Anglo-Egyptian force of approximately 25,000 troops equipped with modern artillery, machine guns, and rifles confronted a 40,000-strong Mahdist army commanded by the Khalīfah ʿAbd Allāh.23

The battle began when Mahdist forces launched a frontal assault on Kitchener’s camp at Egeiga. They were met with devastating fire from the Anglo-Egyptian lines, resulting in massive casualties. Despite a brief threat to Kitchener’s reserves and a famous charge by the 21st Lancers—which included a young Winston Churchill—the Mahdist army was overwhelmed.3

The engagement resulted in approximately 10,000 Mahdist deaths and 10,000 wounded, while the Anglo-Egyptian forces suffered only about 500 casualties. This victory established British dominance in the region, effectively ending the al-Mahdiyyah movement and leading to the establishment of the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium in 1899.42