Bahr el Ghazal Provinces The beginning of the events of Idris Abter - appointed governor of Bahr el Ghazal Gordon arrived in Khartoum after being appointed Governor-General of Sudan, the Equatorial region, and the coasts of the Red Sea. From the Bahr el Ghazal region, a man named Idris Abter, of Sudanese origin, engaged in trade, became wealthy, and rose to be one of the chiefs of the Kababish tribe. He requested Gordon to consider his request and to listen to him. Suleiman bin Al-Zeir Pasha, who was also the head of a company, was angered by the injustice, women, clothing, and violence. It was suggested to him to annex the Bahr el Ghazal regions to the Khedivial government, and he mentioned its resources, which stirred his interest. Therefore, he asked the Khedivial authorities to issue the order we mentioned earlier. Then, a council of senior Mahdist officers was convened there to elect a governor for Bahr el Ghazal. Their decision was to appoint him as governor. He then confided in Gordon at that time that Suleiman bin Al-Zeir Pasha intended to declare independence in Bahr el Ghazal, that he was recruiting soldiers around him, and that he was encroaching on the trading companies there, causing the merchants to fear him. For this reason, he requested to be accompanied by a large force, some artillery, and sufficient weapons. He was accompanied by six battalions with their officers and men, and detachments of Bashizook soldiers with their weapons, two mountain guns, two war rockets, and two cavalry squadrons. We proceeded thus on three steamers and fifteen sailing ships, heading to Bahr el Ghazal via the Mediterranean Sea. When we reached Fashoda, we took three Mahdist battalions from its garrison as well. We continued our journey until we reached the port of 00091.