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BATTLE // January 9, 1917

Battle of Rafa

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Source · Wikipedia

Significance

The Battle of Rafa on 9 January 1917 completed the British recapture of the Sinai Peninsula, the third and final operation in a sequential campaign to clear Ottoman forces from Egyptian territory. By reducing the entrenched Ottoman garrison at El Magruntein, the Desert Column of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force secured the frontier between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire. The action carried immediate strategic weight beyond Sinai: it marked the opening of offensive operations into Ottoman Palestine, shifting the Sinai and Palestine campaign from a defensive consolidation phase to active forward operations in enemy-held territory. Ottoman losses of 1,434 from a garrison of approximately 2,000 effectively destroyed the defending force, removing a potential threat to the EEF's flank as it prepared to advance.

Tactics

The Desert Column of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force attacked an entrenched Ottoman Army at El Magruntein, positioned to the south of Rafah near the Egypt-Ottoman frontier. Beyond the assault on fortified positions, the overview does not describe the specific maneuvers, formations, or terrain exploitation employed during the engagement.

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • Ottoman Empire2,000
    medium

Casualties

  • Ottoman Empire1,434
    medium72% loss rate
Order of battle →Casualties in detail →

Commanders (1)

United Kingdom

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Related

6 sibling battles · 4 factions

Last verified June 2026
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