ABA ISLAND

The island of Aba has no great interest outside its historic links with the religious leader of the th century. Mohammed Ahmed lived several years of Islamic studies on this famous island. In the early 1880 s, he led a violent campaign denouncing the Anglo-Egyptian occupation, which found such a strong echo in the country that Khartoum believed that he would cut the character to silence. But removing it from Aba Island turned out to be more complicated than expected and the troops broke their teeth there. The Egyptian debacle searched a movement of revolt across the country, which gradually justice into the cause of Islam's self-proclaimed imam.

This past bears witness to the ancient buildings of the university (now called the imam's name), redécorée of dubious colours, and the mosque of the times, more northerly. Symbolically, a commemorative kiosk was built on the immense central square. The village is a stronghold of the Mahdiste Mahdiste party and the flag of the Brotherhood of Ansars floats here as well as the grave of the Mahdi in Omdurman.

To go to Aba, you must take the bus in Rabak (request mawgif Aba). Count 2 SDG in minibus to descend White Nile over kilometres before obliquer to the river. As an anecdote, we were arrested by a member of the Security Bureau on the island before leaving it. Apparently, the guy had difficulty believing that Aba could be mentioned in a guide!