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First Battle of Agordat
Part of the Mahdist War
Date 27 June 1890 Location Agordat, Italian Eritrea Result Italian victory
Belligerents
Italy	Mahdist State
Strength
2 ascari companies	1,000
Casualties and losses
3 killed and 8 wounded	~250 killed

The First Battle of Agordat, which took place on 27 June 1890 was the first battle between Italy and the Mahdist State. Fighting began when a force of one-thousand Mahdists attacked tribes that had signed protectorates with the Kingdom of Italy. The Sudanese continued on to the wells at Agordat, where they were met by two companies of Italian-led ascari. The battle that ensued was an Italian victory, with around 250 Mahdists being killed. Italian losses were three dead and eight wounded. Author Sean McLachlan attributes the Mahdists' defeat at both Agordat and the upcoming Battle of Serobeti (1892) to their "inferior weaponry and fire discipline".

References

1. ^ McLachlan, Sean (September 20, 2011). Armies of the Adowa Campaign 1896: The Italian Disaster in Ethiopia. Oxford: Osprey. p. 7. ISBN 978-1849084574.

• 1890 in Sudan
• 1890 in the Italian Empire
• Battles of the Mahdist War
• Battles involving Italy
• Battles involving Sudan
• Conflicts in 1890
• Military history of Eritrea
• June 1890 events