Rif Republic - History

History

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 ended in failure because the 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 half a million men supported by 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.