| Official Name: | Kassala |
| Native Name: | Arabic: كسلا |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Sudan |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Sudan |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Sudan |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kassala State |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population As Of: | 2002 |
| Population Total: | 957,000[1] |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
| Coordinates: | 15.45°N 60°W |
Kassala (Arabic: كسلا) is the capital of the state of Kassala in eastern Sudan. In 2002 its population was recorded to be 957,000.[2] Built on the banks of the Gash River, it is a market city and is famous for its fruit gardens. Many of its inhabitants are from the Hadendawa sub-tribe of the Beja ethnic group.
The city was formerly a railroad hub, however, as of 2006 there was no operational railway station in Kassala and much of the track leading to and from the city has been salvaged or fallen into disrepair. Kassala's location along the main Khartoum-Port Sudan highway makes it an important trade center.
The ancient settlement of Mahal Teglinos flourished here during the Early Gash Group phase (ca. 2800–2500 BC). Egyptian jars dating from this period have been found here.[3] At that time, the inhabitants at Mahal Teglinos were already trading with Egypt, Nubia, and the southern Arabian Peninsula.[4]
Mahal Teglinos settlement continued after that, and also flourished during the late Gash Group phase (ca. 1900–1700 BC).[4]
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the city was a key node in the west–east trade route, linking the coastal ports of Massawa and Suakin with the Sudan and farther west.[5] The city was conquered by Ottoman soldiers of Egyptian viceroy Muhammad Ali in 1840 during his military offensive into Sudan. In 1885, Kassala was subsequently captured by the Mahdists. In 1894, after the Battle of Kassala the Italians captured the city from the Mahdists. In 1897, the Kingdom of Italy returned Kassala to the Kingdom of Egypt in order to get international recognition of the Italian colony of Eritrea. In 1899, Kassala fell under the purview of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan until Sudanese independence in 1956.
In July 1940, during the East African Campaign, Italian forces advancing from Italian East Africa forced the local British garrison to withdraw from Kassala. The Italians then occupied the city with brigade-sized units:[6] on July 4, 1940 the Italians started their offensive with 2,500 men (and one brigade of cavalry) supported by 24 tanks, while to defend Kassala for Britain there were 1,300 colonial soldiers with their British officers who -after some initial heavy fighting- were easily defeated. The Italians later appointed as mayor of Kassala the future hero of Eritrean independence, Hamid Idris Awate. In mid-January 1941, the Italians withdrew from the city and a British garrison returned.
Kassala has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) characterized by high temperatures, low precipitation, and abundant sunshine. April through June marks the hottest period of the year, followed by the wet season from July through September, marked by higher humidity levels and intermittent rainfall. The rest of the year is very dry, with nearly no precipitation from November to March.
The Kassala region had a child mortality rate of 62 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014, slightly higher than the national average of 52 child deaths per 1,000.[7]
The Khatmiyya Mosque, built in 1840 by the Ottomans and damaged during the Mahdist War, is the city's most important cultural site. It is an important site for the Sufi Khatmiyya order.
The city is home to Kassala University, a public university established in 1990 to replace the East University, and an important institution for development in the east of Sudan.[8] Including Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Education,Faculty of Economic and Administration, Faculty of Computer science and IT and more.
