Republic of the Rif
Encyclopedia
The Republic of the Rif (full name: The Confederal Republic of the Tribes of the Rif), (Amazigh: Tagduda n Arif) was created in September 1921, when the people of the Rif
(the Riffians) revolted and declared their independence from Spanish
occupation as well as from the Moroccan
sultan.
Its capital city was Ajdir
, its currency the Rif Republic Riffan, its national Independence Day was held on 18 September, and its total population was an estimated 550,000 people. The independence of the Rif was proclaimed on 18 September 1921, with Mohand Abd el-Krim as its president or leader. The Republic of the Rif was formally constituted 1 February 1923, with Abd el-Krim as head of state
. Its prime minister, from July 1923 to 27 May 1926, was ben Hajj Hatmi and General Driss Riffi Temsamani was named Basha or Governor of the Rif. It was dissolved by Spanish and French occupation forces on 27 May 1926, after long and bloody battles of the Rif War
in which German-made chemical weapons were used against the Berber populations by Spanish occupation forces.
The Berbers
fiercely resisted both Spanish and French
incursions into Morocco. However, the Berbers had been unable to consolidate power, and had continually returned to ethnic fighting and tribal division. The Great Revolt of 1912 against French rule was a complete failure due to the fact that any tribal alliances created during the Great Revolt came apart within months.
A single leader, Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi who was a court judge previously, became the leader of the Berbers in the Rif. Having created this command and power structure, Abd el-Krim defeated the Spanish many times and drove them back to a few coastal outposts. He wanted to create a stable state for the Berbers to give them a break from the long years of fightings. Abd el-Krim sent diplomatic representatives to London and Paris to try to establish diplomatic relations with Europe. This did not work very much because the French were anxious about the growing strength of Abd el-Krim's young republic, which could in the future drive the French occupation completely out of Morocco, if it had some time to gather forces and weapons. Abd el-Krim's rhetoric was concentrating on the right for freedom for all people, a message which wasn't welcome by the European colonial forces.
In late 1925, the French and Spanish created a joint task force of over 400,000 men with hundreds of tanks and aircraft. They attacked the new Republic territories using massive bombing some of which were German-designed chemical weapons
used by the Spanish army. The Rif Republic collapsed in May 1926.
The French intellectual groups denounced the imperialism of the French ruling classes. They associated the army and the notion of 'patrie' with the bourgeoise ruling groups.
Guerrilla
elements of the army continued fighting until 1927.
Rif
The Rif or Riff is a mainly mountainous region of northern Morocco, with some fertile plains, stretching from Cape Spartel and Tangier in the west to Ras Kebdana and the Melwiyya River in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the river of Wergha in the south.It is part of the...
(the Riffians) revolted and declared their independence from Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
occupation as well as from the Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
sultan.
Its capital city was Ajdir
Ajdir
Ajdir is a small city in Morocco near Al Hoceima. It was the capital of the Republic of the Rif from 1922 to 1926 under the leadership of Abd el-Krim .-See also:* *Republic of the Rif*Aith Ouriaghel...
, its currency the Rif Republic Riffan, its national Independence Day was held on 18 September, and its total population was an estimated 550,000 people. The independence of the Rif was proclaimed on 18 September 1921, with Mohand Abd el-Krim as its president or leader. The Republic of the Rif was formally constituted 1 February 1923, with Abd el-Krim as head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. Its prime minister, from July 1923 to 27 May 1926, was ben Hajj Hatmi and General Driss Riffi Temsamani was named Basha or Governor of the Rif. It was dissolved by Spanish and French occupation forces on 27 May 1926, after long and bloody battles of the Rif War
Rif War (1920)
The Rif War, also called the Second Moroccan War, was fought between Spain and the Moroccan Rif Berbers.-Rifian forces:...
in which German-made chemical weapons were used against the Berber populations by Spanish occupation forces.
History
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
fiercely resisted both Spanish and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
incursions into Morocco. However, the Berbers had been unable to consolidate power, and had continually returned to ethnic fighting and tribal division. The Great Revolt of 1912 against French rule was a complete failure due to the fact that any tribal alliances created during the Great Revolt came apart within months.
A single leader, Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi who was a court judge previously, became the leader of the Berbers in the Rif. Having created this command and power structure, Abd el-Krim defeated the Spanish many times and drove them back to a few coastal outposts. He wanted to create a stable state for the Berbers to give them a break from the long years of fightings. Abd el-Krim sent diplomatic representatives to London and Paris to try to establish diplomatic relations with Europe. This did not work very much because the French were anxious about the growing strength of Abd el-Krim's young republic, which could in the future drive the French occupation completely out of Morocco, if it had some time to gather forces and weapons. Abd el-Krim's rhetoric was concentrating on the right for freedom for all people, a message which wasn't welcome by the European colonial forces.
In late 1925, the French and Spanish created a joint task force of over 400,000 men with hundreds of tanks and aircraft. They attacked the new Republic territories using massive bombing some of which were German-designed chemical weapons
Chemical weapons in the Rif War
During the Third Rif War in Spanish Morocco between 1921 and 1927, the Spanish Army of Africa dropped chemical warfare agents in an attempt to put down the Riffian Berber rebellion led by guerrilla leader Abd el-Krim....
used by the Spanish army. The Rif Republic collapsed in May 1926.
The French intellectual groups denounced the imperialism of the French ruling classes. They associated the army and the notion of 'patrie' with the bourgeoise ruling groups.
Guerrilla
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
elements of the army continued fighting until 1927.