Battle of Abu Klea

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Battle of Abu Klea
Part of the Mahdist War
The Battle of Abu Klea by William Barnes Wollen
Date 17 January 1885 Location Khartoum 16°59′00″N 33°18′00″E / 16.9833333°N 33.3°E / 16.9833333; 33.3 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Mahdist State
Commanders and leaders
Herbert Stewart (DOW)	Muhammad Ahmad
Strength
1,400[1]	14,000 (3,000 engaged in the battle)[1]
Casualties and losses
76 killed 82 wounded	1,100 killed, unknown wounded (British claim)

The Battle of Abu Klea, or the Battle of Abu Tulayh took place between 16 and 18 January 1885, at Abu Klea, Sudan, between the British Desert Column and Mahdist forces encamped near Abu Klea. The Desert Column, a force of approximately 1,400 soldiers, started from Korti, Sudan on 30 December 1884; the Desert Column's mission, in a joint effort titled "The Gordon Relief Expedition", was to march across the Bayuda Desert to the aid of General Charles George Gordon at Khartoum, Sudan, who was besieged there by Mahdist forces.

The place is generally known in British military records as Abu Klea, which arose as a contemporary British spelling of its Arabic name, 'Abu Tͅuleiħ (أَبُو طُلَيْح). The British commander Sir Herbert Stewart was mortally wounded during the battle.