The Egyptian army, led by Sirdar Kitchener Pasha, advanced into Sudan. They captured Firkah, which was 79 miles away, and then Akasha in early May 1897. By October, they reached Dongola. Reconnaissance parties pushed towards Khartoum, and the British returned to Egypt to rest. A banquet was held for Kitchener's family, where Lord Cromer stated that the recapture of Dongola province was only the first step and that the time had come for the Egyptian flag to fly over Khartoum.

The Dongola province was composed of 1,500 regulars, 981 irregulars, and 329 of the local militia. Among these were the 1st and 2nd Arab infantry battalions, which were formed after the army's arrival in 1896. There were also 100 irregular cavalry, 10 transport units, and 109 men, including 20 officers.

Before the army's advance, a new Sudanese battalion and two Egyptian battalions were formed. The Sirdar also recruited over a thousand men from the Baggara, Kababish, and Malikat tribes to protect the western and eastern deserts. England provided 780 men from the Camel Corps and the Sudanese Camel Corps. England also sent 1,000 men, including 100 cavalry and 100 infantry, along with ten gunboats and three transport barges. A battalion was also recruited for the extended railway lines.

After the Battle of Atbara, the gunboats "Zafir" and "Nile" were sent to Dongola. The Sirdar then advanced on Khartoum with an army of 4 battalions, 2 Egyptian battalions, 1,000 British infantry, 1,000 Egyptian infantry, 100 British cavalry, 100 Egyptian cavalry, 4 artillery batteries, and 2,000 irregular Arab volunteers. The fleet consisted of three armored boats, bringing the total to twenty. The Dervish army numbered about 20,000 men, including 5,000 cavalry, armed with 11,400 rifles.

The decisive battle took place on September 2, 1898, at the plains of Omdurman. Ten thousand Dervishes were killed and more were wounded. The Anglo-Egyptian army suffered 40 killed and 200 wounded. Among the killed were 2 British officers and 30 soldiers, and 4 Egyptian officers and 100 soldiers. The wounded included 2 British officers and 72 soldiers, and 2 Egyptian officers and 100 soldiers.