Rabih War

Rabih War
	Part of the Scramble for Africa
	; Rabih az-Zubayr's forces attack a French party
Date	17 July 1899 – 23 August 1901; (2 years, 1 month and 6 days)
Location	Bornu (modern-day Nigeria and Chad)
Result	French victory Restoration of the al-Kanemi dynasty; Beginning of the French colonisation of Chad;
Belligerents
France; Sultanate of Bagirmi; Kanem–Bornu Empire; (al-Kanemi loyalists)	Kanem–Bornu Empire; (Rabih loyalists)
Commanders and leaders
Émile Gentil; Henri Bretonnet †; Amédée-François Lamy †; Solomon Braun †; Paul Joalland; René Reibell (DOW); Lt. Durand-Autier †; Félix Robillot; Georges Destenave; Gaourang II (WIA); Sanda Kura; Abubakar Garbai; Mestrema Musa †;	Rabih az-Zubayr †; Fadlallah bin Rabih †; Muhammad Niebe; Hawwa;
Strength
c. 700 (French); Thousands (Bagirmians and Bornuans)	c. 35,000
Casualties and losses
Hundreds	Thousands

The Rabih War (1899–1901) was a war fought between France and the Kanem–Bornu Empire, then ruled by the warlord Rabih az-Zubayr. Chiefly motivated by French colonial and economic interests in the Bornu region, France justified the campaign as being part of the struggle against the African slave trade. France was supported in the war by the Sultanate of Bagirmi and by Bornuans who remained loyal to the al-Kanemi dynasty, which had been deposed by Rabih.

Rabih defeated an initial French force, led by Henri Bretonnet, at the battle of Togbao in 1899. After the French increased their efforts and resources, Rabih was defeated and killed at the battle of Kousséri in 1900. The French installed Sanda Kura, an al-Kanemi dynast, as the new ruler of the Kanem–Bornu Empire but the war continued against Rabih's son, Fadlallah. Fadlallah made repeated attempts to regain Bornu and tried to secure British support for his claims but was ultimately defeated and killed at the battle of Gujba in 1901.