Around 2,800 Zanzibaris defended the palace; most were recruited from the civilian population, but they also included the sultan's palace guard and several hundred of his servants and slaves.
Paleed kaitses umbes 2800 sõdurit, kellest suurem osa oli värvatud kohaliku elanikkonna hulgast, kuid leidus ka sultani paleevalvureid ning mitu sada sultani teenijat ja orja.