the conflict led to a recorded 20.77 million population reduction in shaanxi and gansu due to migration and war-related death, started by riots of the hui and massacres to the han chinese, accompanied by the revenge killing from the han on hui. based on research by modern historians, at least 4 million hui in shaanxi before the revolt, only 20,000 remained in the province while the rest of the hui were all killed in massacres and reprisals by government and militia forces or deported out of the province. 700,000 to 800,000 hui in shaanxi who were deported to gansu were massacred along the way to gansu by the militia carrying out the deportations until only a few thousand of them remained alive. many of them also died from thirst and starvation on the journey to gansu. according to post-war consensus, 74.5% population reduction was reported in gansu, and 44.7% in shaanxi. many civilian deaths were also caused by famine due to war conditions. large numbers han people were also relocated to inner mongolia after the war.