This Month marks the 101th anniversary of the Battle of Anwal, or in what became known in Spain as the disaster of Anwal settlement. where some brave forces of Muhammad ‘Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi destroyed the 20,000 strong Spanish army of General. Silvestre, on July 22, 1921 at Anawl in northeastern of Rif, (about 50km west of Nador).
While it would look like an easy match for Spain, they got defeated at the Battle of Anwal and were pursued by the angry Rif tribesmen all the way to the coast. Despite using all technological marvels of the day including mustard gas the Spanish did not manage to defeat the Rif irregular forces under the command of Muhammad ‘Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi known in Rif as Mulay Muhand).
As a result of the battle, 13,363 Spanish were dead including their General Silvestre and another 7,000 were wounded, led to major political crises in Spain at the one of the most severe defeats ever suffered by a European colonial army .
