The Battle of Aba Island When the messengers returned to Khartoum and reported the results of their mission to the Governor-General, he was determined to send a military force against them. He therefore detached two battalions from the Regular Army, accompanied by a mountain artillery detachment. He appointed two officers of the rank of Bimbashi: Ibrahim Effendi Ali and Azmi Effendi Ali. He also sent with them Abu Al-Saud Bey, the commander of the expedition. They traveled on two steamers in the early days of Ramadan.

They arrived at Aba Island shortly before sunset in the year 1790. This is what the government did. As for the Mahdi, most of the people abandoned him, and only about four hundred men remained with him, most of them from the Dongola region. They fled after the return of the messengers, because they were convinced that the government would inevitably subdue him by force.

When the two steamers dropped anchor at the island, the soldiers disembarked onto the shore and began to prepare and mobilize to march on the Mahdi's camp. The advance was slow due to the mud accumulated from the rains, as it was the rainy season. The two captains began their work.

This is what the Governor-General wanted. The two officers argued about who was in command. One said, "I am the commander." The other replied, "No, I am the commander. We will go to Abu Al-Saud Bey, the Governor-General's assistant." The latter ruled that he was the commander of them all. This increased the complexity of the situation. They remained in this state for some time after midnight.

Then, a detachment from the expedition attacked them. They were surprised by the attack, and only a few individuals escaped, including Abu Al-Saud Bey. The two officers were killed, and the Mahdi captured their weapons and ammunition. The news spread throughout Sudan with great excitement, and the common people believed it to be a divine miracle.