The total number of Swahili fighters in this huge region numbered around one hundred thousand, but each chief acted independently. Although experienced in warfare, they were poorly armed with simple rifles. The Belgians had just six hundred troops divided between the camps at Basoko and Lusambo, but were much better armed and had six cannons and a machine gun.[21] A Belgian expedition under Captain Jacques came to the relief of Joubert in 1892, and then established a position at Albertville, where Rumaliza's troops were defeated by a relief column while besieging the post.[15]