The Silent Betrayal: The Poisoning of Leader Ahmed El Raisuni and the Role of the Bni Msawer
The Conspiracy of His Death
The fall of Leader Ahmed El Raisuni in 1925 was not merely a military defeat at the hands of the Rifian forces or the Spanish; it was a sophisticated internal sabotage. While the siege of Tazrut was the external pressure, the internal collapse was triggered by a "domestic" conspiracy that remains one of the most tragic chapters in Jbala history.
The Infiltration of the Household
As documented in the archives of Taher El Lhioui, the conspiracy reached the very heart of El Raisuni’s private quarters. The key figure in this sabotage was a woman identified as the daughter of Kaid Zellal, a powerful local leader of the Bni Msawer tribe.
The Bni Msawer held a strategic and often shifting position between the authority of El Raisuni and the advancing colonial interests. By placing a member of a high-ranking Kaid’s family within the household, the conspirators gained what no army could: access.
The Act of Poisoning
During the final, desperate days at Tazrut, a toxin was introduced into the Leader’s food. This was a calculated strike designed to:
- Neutralize Leadership: El Raisuni was already suffering from poor health (dropsy). The poison was intended to ensure he could not organize a retreat or lead his loyalists in a final stand.
- Facilitate Capture: A paralyzed leader is easier to transport and negotiate over than a defiant one.
The Sacrifice of the 'Ama'
When the poisoned dish was presented, the Leader's instincts led him to command his servant (the ama) to taste it first. Her immediate death confirmed the betrayal. While the Leader did not die instantly from that specific meal, the exposure to toxins—combined with his existing condition and the psychological blow of betrayal by a noble family like the Zellals—shattered the remaining defense of the stronghold.
Historical Conclusion
The involvement of the daughter of Kaid Zellal illustrates the "war of the Kaids" that plagued the region. It shows how colonial strategy successfully exploited tribal friction and personal ambitions to bring down a figure who had survived decades of open warfare. Her role was the final piece in a puzzle that led to his capture and subsequent death in Tamasint in April 1925.
Note for the Archive: This account provides a necessary correction to colonial narratives that often omit the specific tribal identities involved in the internal resistance to El Raisuni’s power.
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