Battle of Nahr al-Kalb

Battle of Nahr al-Kalb
Part of the Egyptian–Ottoman War (1839–1841)
Date September, 1840 Location Lebanon Result Ailled victory
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire Supported by: United Kingdom Austrian Empire	Egypt
Commanders and leaders
Charles Napier	Ibrahim Pasha
Units involved
British, Austrian and Turkish Forces	Albanian volunteers and Egyptian Forces
Strength
8,000 British and Ottoman troops​	10,000 to 15,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
Unknown

The Battle of Nahr al-Kalb took place in late September 1840 during the Egyptian-Ottoman War, part of a coalition effort to curb the expansion of Egyptian forces under Ibrahim Pasha. This battle, fought along the Nahr al-Kalb River near Beirut, was part of a larger Allied campaign led by British, Austrian, and Ottoman forces to push Egyptian forces out of Syria. British forces under Commodore Charles Napier launched operations along the Lebanese coast, calling for the Egyptians to withdraw and leveraging naval bombardments to weaken Egyptian positions.

The Battle

During the skirmish, British-led forces defeated a contingent of Albanian troops aligned with the Egyptians. Shortly afterward, Napier’s forces continued their campaign by bombarding and capturing Sidon and later moved to take Acre in a decisive siege that led to heavy Egyptian losses and a rapid retreat. This series of engagements eventually led to a negotiated settlement, securing Muhammad Ali's control of Egypt but requiring him to relinquish his claims to Syrian territory and submit to Ottoman rule.

Aftermath

Strategic Withdrawal of Egyptian Forces: Following their defeat at Nahr al-Kalb, the Egyptian forces, under Ibrahim Pasha, were forced to retreat from their positions in Lebanon. This loss marked a turning point in the conflict, leading to further withdrawals from Syria.