Map of Expansion, NG351, NG352, NG350

The lands of the Mahdi were ripe for the taking, his troops had left their posts and even the Mahdi himself has disappeared. The Sudan quickly sent expeditionary forces from the Sudanese African National Liberation Army (SANLA) and tried to establish a presence in the area. The SANLA largely were accepted by the Sudanese people as they liberated them from the theocratic government that forced non-African religion upon them.

SANLA forces preparing to march into Mahdi-controlled areas.

The areas that were owned by the Mahdi had some minor troops that were stationed, acting more like bandits or in some of the better cases, just like a normal police force. The Mahdist troops who were open to the SANLA quickly joined forces but the ones who lived a life of banditry were quickly arrested or beaten in small scale skirmishes.

SANLA forces marching to restore order.

The new lands were quickly 'Sudanized' and returned to traditional Swahili names, any depictions of the Mahdi were destroyed, and the Mosques no longer bore the seal of the central government. While the religion of Mahdist Islam was not yet banned it had lost it's official status as the official religion and would not return again.