Starting with some 124 rifles, which were considered for his time outdated, he initiated a military campaign against the Spanish army that ended with the liberation of the Rif-region. But more than the liberation of a part of the homeland, the victory over a European colonial power in the first part of the 20th century provided a framework of hope for other colonized people all over the world. If Japans victory over Russia in 1905 was the first victory of a non-white power over a white power in the modern world, then Abdelkrim’s victory over Spain was the first major victory of an indigenous people over a European colonizer.

Abdelkrim El khattabi was born in 1882 in Ajdir, a small village in the north of Morocco. A promising student in the oldest university of the world, Qarawin in Fes, he managed to get a job as a journalist for the Spanish newspaper Telegrama del Rif before being appointed by the Spanish as the chief judge of Melilla in 1914. In 1917 he was imprisoned for more than a year because of his alleged anti-colonial activities. It is true that he was influenced by the anti-colonial and anti-imperialist ideas spread by Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, Muhammad ‘Abduh and Rashed Reda. But it was not until 1920 that Abdelkrims name would be engraved in the history of the Maghreb. It was then that he started a guerrilla war against the Spanish, whose encroachments in uncolonized parts of the Rif greatly disturbed him.

He issued a warning to General Silvestre, the commanding officer of the Spanish, and warned him that if he crossed the Ameqran River, Abdelkrim would consider this a declaration of war. General Silvestre is said to have laughed, and comically responded with for the Berbers of the Rif famous saying: ‘tomorrow I will drink tea in Abdelkrims house’. The self-confidence of the general stood in high contrast with the reality that would soon ensue on the battle field. A skirmish at Dhar Oubaran on the first of June 1921 ended in a victory for Iriffien Amazigh, and roughly 600 Spanish soldiers were killed, and the others forced to flee.

It was the prelude to the greater battle of Annoual, which took place 20 days after the skirmish at Dhar Oubaran. Abdelkrim who had managed to unify most of the tribes in a usually divided Rif was still outnumbered, and despite their inferior equipment they attacked the Spanish at Annoual and routed their army, driving the Spanish star General Silvestre as far to commit suicide. That 21 of June, 3000 Berbers defeated a modern European army killing 15.000 and imprisoning 700. A military miracle indeed.

Annoual was and remains a symbol. It was more than a military defeat for the Spanish, or a victory for the Berbers. In a world filled with racist ideologies, the Spanish were not only defeated by an adversary that was inferiorly equipped, but more importantly by one who was racially inferior. It was the victory of a colored people over a white nation, the revenge of the East on the West. This humiliation shook the political world and it caused a coup d’etat in 1923 in Spain by General Miguel Primo de Rivera’s, who instated a military dictatorship which eventually led to the collapse of a centuries old monarchy in 1931.

The Rif in Morocco was independent, and Abdelkrim founded the Rif Republic and proclaimed that his goal was the liberation of all the Maghreb. He started liberating areas from the French in a series of successful attacks. Alas, in the modern world a lot of ills can be attributed to the unnamed Plot, that had as a goal to destroy any progressive liberation project in the Third World. The French, who were occupying the other part of Morocco saw in Abdelkrims Rif Republic a dangerous precedent and sent a huge army numbering an astounding 250.000 soldiers, led by the celebrated Marshal Pétain, who showed his merits in WWI.

Resulting to the colonial practice of wreaking havoc by using mustard gas and other chemical weapons against the local population which resulted in the horrible death of thousands of inhabitants of the Rif the combined French-Spanish forces managed to quell the ambition of a people for self-determination. The couple of thousands of guerrilla warriors were no match for the enormous assembled army and Abdelkrim, seeing the futility of engaging in warfare, immediately surrendered. The French exiled him to the island of Réunion where he lingered until 1947, when he gained asylum in Egypt. He immediately set up a Committee for the Liberation of the big Maghreb.

When Morocco gained its independence in 1956 the Moroccan sultan Muhammad V, who proclaimed himself king, invited Abdelkrim El khattabi back to his homeland. He refused, because according to him Morocco was still under occupation. The colonization only changed faces. He would support the uprisings in 1957 against the absolute monarchy. In 1962 he would oppose the new constitution that was pushed trough by the new Moroccan king Hassan II, who assumed dictatorial powers. In the same year, Algeria gained its independence after a bloody struggle that lasted 8 years with million of Algerians killed. It was a happy moment for Abdelkrim.

On this day, a year later, Abdelkrim died. He left behind an impressive legacy and proved the colonized world a model for steadfastness and liberation. Both Ho Chi Min, the leader of Vietcong and Mao referred to him as our predecessor. The Committee of Union and Progress in Turkey which was led by Atatürk held Abdelkrim in high esteem. The Shi’ite scholars of Najaf issued a fatwa supporting Abdelkrims struggle. Many more would honor him in the years to come.

Nowadays, Abdelkrim is the symbol for the Amazigh movement, some of which falsely see him as the father of a Berber nation. Abdelkrim was more than just an amazigh, he was a universal warrior against injustice and colonial subjugation, and no matter how hard the Moroccan system tries to erase him out of history, he will always remain vivid.

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 .

The following list is based on the maximum deaths in a war. Here are the bloodiest wars in Amazigh history:

• Battle of El Herri

The Battle of El Herri (also known as Elhri) was fought between France and the Amazigh Zaian Confederation on 13 November 1914. It took place at the small settlement of El Herri, near Khénifra  The battle was part of the Zaian War, in which the confederation of tribes sought to oppose continued French expansion into the interior of Morocco. The French losses were significant: some 623 North African, Senegalese and French soldiers (including Colonel René Laverdure) were killed and 176 wounded. The Zaian people lost around 182 men killed.

• Battle of Annual

The Battle of Annual was a battle fought between the Spanish Army of Africa and combatants of the Rif region led by Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi. It was a major military defeat suffered by the Spanish army on July 22, 1921 at Annual in northeastern Morocco during the Rif War. some 12,000 soldiers and officers reported killed including General. Silvestre. The defeat, almost always referred to by the Spanish as the Disaster of Annual, led to major political crises and a redefinition of Spanish colonial policy toward the Rif.

• Battle of Bougafer

The battle of Bougafer or Battle of Saghro took place on 13 February 1933 in Mount of Saghro in the high Atlas where the French colonial forces fought against the combatants of the Aït Atta tribes led by Assou Obasslam.

• Battle of Ait Abdellah

It was fought by the Amazigh resistance in Tafraout region near Taroudant on 1934, led by Abdullah Zakur and his combatants. The French colonialist used 18 warplanes and very deadly weapons to bomb the resistance of the brave fighters and subdue them.

• Battle of Isly

The Battle of Isly was fought on August 14, 1844 in Isly River between France and Ait Yaznassene tribes in North East of Morocco. The battle started after the attack by the French army under the leadership of Marshal Thomas Robert Peugeot. due to Morocco’s support for the Algerian resistance against French colonialism.

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Front Line Defenders condemns the judicial harassment of Abdessadeq El Bouchtaoui, which appears to be the result of his work as a human rights lawyer and the exercise of his freedom of expression, and calls on Moroccan authorities to immediately drop all charges and halt judicial harassment of the human rights defender.

Abdessadeq El Bouchtaoui is a human rights defender and lawyer who represents activists in Al-Hoceima facing charges in relation to “Hirak” Rif protests in Northern Morocco region.

Casablanca | During a court trail January 5, the “Hirak” activists lawyers, told the press media that Nasser Zefzafi, the Rif protests leader, is living in a very critical health after being held in solitary confinement for more than seven months now.

The same source added that Nasser has already lost about 20 pounds since his arrests after engaging in several hunger strikes along with other leaders of “Hirak” to protest what they call inhumane conditions of detention in the Oukacha prison in Casablanca.

Since the 1990s, the U.N. Committee Against Torture has repeatedly condemned the use of solitary confinement and called on all countries to ban the solitary confinement of prisoners except in very exceptional circumstances and for as short a time as possible, with an absolute prohibition in the case of juveniles and people with mental disabilities.

On the other hand, physician experts cite concerns that although a prisoner or detainee who goes on hunger strike may have no significant medical problems at the start of his actions, as the hunger strike is prolonged his physical deterioration will inevitably require medical intervention in order to preserve his life.

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Prince Hicham Alloaui of Morocco is the first cousin of the current King Mohammed VI, he is known as “Red Prince” because of his progressive political positions. More recently, he has become an outspoken advocate for greater democracy in Morocco and the broader Middle East. He regularly speaks on these issues at public forums around the world, among them the University of Harvard University and Yale University. He has also published numerous essays on political reform and democracy in English, French, and Arabic language journals and newspapers.

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The incident sparked a wave of demonstrations in Morocco’s neglected Rif region, demanding demanding jobs, funding for the impoverished area and an end to alleged government corruption.

On the other hand, Morocco police have arrested more than 270 people over the Rif protests, many of them arbitrarily, including peaceful activists and some journalists. The overwhelming majority are in detention, and many have already been sentenced to prison terms for protest-related charges. At least 50 are currently being investigated on state-security charges. Some could face could face death penalty.[ads1]

Morocco authorities have banned all protests activity planned for the first anniversary of Mohcine Fikri on Friday and Saturday 27th and 28th in the restive Al-Hoceima province, according to a statement issued by the provincial authorities.

[ads1][dropcap]D[/dropcap]ozens of hunger-striking Rif activists detained in the Oukacha prison in Casablanca including Nabil Ahamjik, Mohamed Jelloul and Rabii Al Ablaq, decided today to end their 38-day hunger strike following a request by their families and the Riffain community in Rif as well as in diaspora.

Since May 2017, Morocco police have arrested more than 270 people over the Rif protests, many of them arbitrarily, including peaceful activists and some journalists. The overwhelming majority are in detention, and many have already been sentenced to prison terms for protest-related charges. At least 50 are currently being investigated on state-security charges. Some could face could face death penalty.