Regardless, much of Wadai including its capital Abéché fell to the invaders in 1909, forcing the empire's ruler Dud Murra to continue his resistance from outlying provinces and allied states.

He managed to gain the support of the Sultanate of Darfur and Dar Masalit, and used these areas as rear bases during his attempts to oust the French.

In order to legitimize their intervention, the French installed Dud Murra's relative Adam Asil as puppet ruler in Wadai.

Regardless, unrest initially continued: a major anti-French revolt broke out soon after Dud Murra's defeat, and an anti-European conspiracy was allegedly organized with the support of Adam Asil.

Founded by the Tunjur people in the 16th century[1] and located in the eastern Chad Basin, Wadai's economy relied on cattle herding and slave trading.

[1][4] The state eventually forged an alliance with the influential Senussi order which was based in the desert to the north and controlled important Trans-Saharan trade routes,[1] becoming the dominant power in the east-central Chad Basin.

Relying on its prospering economy and firearms imported from the Senussi, Wadai expanded and subjugated several other polities such as Bornu[1] and the Sultanate of Bagirmi, forcing them to pay tribute[2][5] and abducting skilled craftsmen to enrich the empire.

[7] In the west, French colonial armies had begun expanding into the Chad Basin, where they came into conflict with various local states, tribes, and movements including the Senussi order.

When Ali Dinar of Darfur learned of the European agreements, he was determined to expand his territory as fast as possible westward to preclude a French occuptain of areas which he believed were rightfully his.

[11] In 1898, Kolak Yusuf of Wadai died, resulting in a succession struggle during which Ahmad al-Ghazali, supported by Ali Dinar, gained the throne.

[1] Wadai had a capable and highly experienced military,[1][2][3] well versed in mobile combat and the constant raiding which marked traditional warfare in the region.

[13] In particular, Dud Murra greatly expanded Wadai's arsenal, and amassed about 10,000 guns, ranging from older but high-quality flintlocks to Martini–Henry, Remington, Gras, and Winchester rifles, as well as colts.

[14] For the most part, modern guns had to be smuggled to Wadai by the Senussi order, as European colonial powers and the Ottoman Empire generally forbade their sale in the Sahara region.

[17] With the French backing Adam Asil, open conflict between the European colonial power and Wadai broke out in 1906.

A column of 200 soldiers led by Captain Jérusalemy inflicted heavy defeats on Wadaian forces at Dokotchi on 29 May 1908 and Djoua on 16 June.

[8][10] He retreated northward into Senussi-held areas,[18] and waged an insurgency against the French whose control of Wadai remained highly tenuous.

[19] Ali Dinar considered their advance into the disputed Wadai-Darfur border region as aggression,[20] and he began to support Dud Murra's cause.

[23] Chad, including Wadai, remained difficult to control, and some native rulers continued to maintain de facto independence until 1917.