Who was Abd el-Krim el-Khattabi?

Abd el-Krim el-Khattabi (1882-1963, Cairo) was a Rifian political and military leader. He and his brother Mahemmed led a large-scale revolt by a coalition of Berber-speaking Rif tribes against French and Spanish colonization of the Rif, an area of northern Morocco. The rebels established the short-lived Republic of the Rif. Abd el-Krim's guerrilla tactics influenced Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong, and Che Guevara.

Abd el-Krim entered the Spanish administration, first as a secretary in the Bureau of Native Affairs and later he was appointed chief qadi for Melilla in 1915. He taught at a Hispano-Arabic school and was an editor for the Arab section of the newspaper, El Telegrama del Rif.

During World War I, he was arrested by the Spanish authorities for anti colonial activities including alleged involvement in a conspiracy with the German consul Dr. Walter Zechlin (1879–1962). He was imprisoned in Chaouen from 1916 to 1918, then escaped. He regained his job as a judge in Melilla. At the end of the war, he returned to his home at Ajdir in January 1919. He was alarmed by the appearance of Spanish agents in Ayt Weryaghel tribal territory and decided to fight for his tribe's independence. The following year, Abd el-Krim, together with his brother, began a war of rebellion against the Spanish incursions. His goal was to unite the tribes into an independent Republic of the Rif; to dismantle the entire French-Spanish colonial project in Morocco, and to introduce modern political reform.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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16 Comments

Alick Wills

His forces defeated the Spanish in north Africa in 1921!

Jas Newman

Jerry Edwards, Do you realize that the Berbers have European roots? Or that the Moors colonized parts of Europe?

Jas Newman

Susan Madanat, That comment demonstrates a scant knowledge of the history of Africa and the Middle East. I've lived in both. Believe me, there are plenty of problems that predate "colonial occupation."

Mic Fenst

Barry Salt, Did you look at incidents in northern Africa?

Char

I almost chose the right answer but couldn't remember Morocco being in turmoil

Char

Susan Madanat, I agree

buhlemann

I have been there - the Rif mountain area, known for its Amazighe (the people formerly called Berbers) culture, and the astounding "blue walled city" of Chefchaouen (called Chaouen in the above article), where this revolutionary was imprisoned. The fortress/prison has now been restored with a central garden, but a cell with iron neck-rings chained to the wall has been preserved to remind folks of the not-so-good old days.

Joe Mangan

John W Shreve, most countries have huge teething troubles after independence. I'm thinking of one in particular where everything hit the fan four-score and seven years later, where some of the same issues remained unresolved into the 1960s. Should everybody have joined and stayed in the Roman Empire?