Kassala

Kassala, a fortified town, formerly the capital of the Nubian district of Taka, stands on a tributary of the Atbara, 260 miles S. of Suakim. It was formerly the most important commercial centre between the Nile and Abyssinia, and previous to the Mahdi's rise had a population (with garrison) of 20,000. When taken by the Italians in 1894 it had only 3000. In 1897 it was restored to Egypt under the Anglo-Italian convention, and has accordingly been garrisoned by Anglo-Egyptian troops. The re-establishment of order in the Egyptian Soudan (1898) has restored to the place something of its old importance.