The force began its Blitzkrieg-like drive northward on 2 August in trucks supplied by General Queipo de Llano.

The IV Bandera initially failed to cross the river, and retreated itself to Almendralejo, but the II Tabor entered the city.

The loyalist militia retreated rather than risk encirclement, and General Yagüe then arrived to take command of the rebel army.

[6] Yagüe next moved west against Badajoz with Asensio and Castejón, leaving a detachment of soldiers under Major Heli Tella to hold Mérida.

[8] Furthermore, the Nationalist occupied the occidental half of the Badajoz province and the Republican government lost the control of the Portuguese frontier.