Battle of Sabilla

The Battle of Sabilla (29 March, 1929) was the main battle of the Ikhwan Revolt in northern Arabia between the rebellious Ikhwan forces and the army of Abdulaziz al-Saud. It is the last tribal uprising in Arabia. It was also the last major battle in which one side rode camels, as the Ikhwan emphasized radical conservatism and shunned technological modernization.

The rebellious, but technologically mediocre, Ikhwan were decisively defeated by the Saudi forces, which included machine-guns and cavalry. The battle occurred in Sabilla, located twenty miles east of Al-Zulfi. The Saudi forces were also supported by the British Royal Air Force which bombed the Ikhwan forces near Jordan and Kuwait. It would be one of the last major battles in Arabia utilizing camel riders.