Episode 60: Ould Hamidou El Kharraz – The Forgotten Shield of Raisuni

Ould Hamidou El Kharraz and his fellow mujahideen: The iron shield of the resistance. A historical photograph that challenges the sanitized narratives of the past. Truth eventually finds its way to light.

Episode 60: Ould Hamidou El Kharraz – The Forgotten Shield of Raisuni

​For far too long, the history of Tetouan has been presented as a sanitized narrative—a story curated to appease the sensibilities of the urban elite. However, when we strip away the layers of mainstream historiography and delve into the private manuscripts of Taher Lhioui, a vastly different truth emerges.

​The Man Whom History Tried to Erase

​The legendary commander Ould Hamidou El Kharraz was far more than a fighter; he was the iron shield of Sharif Ahmed El Raisuni. Yet, his name is conspicuously absent, or relegated to mere footnotes, in the works of local historians like Ibn Azzouz Hakim. These writers lived under the patronage of Tetouan’s aristocratic families—the Bennouna, the Slawi, and the Torres clans. Their pens were not free; they were shackled by the interests of those who dominated the city, while the real resistance was being forged on the battlefield.

​The Truth Behind the Siege

​Mainstream historians conveniently ignored how Ahmed Akhriro and his men maneuvered against colonial powers. They glossed over the incident where Akhriro’s forces infiltrated Tetouan to capture the wife of Slawi. Unlike the accounts of "historians for hire," our archives reveal that the resistance fighters treated these women with the utmost nobility and moral integrity—a testament to a generation of men whose honor remained unmatched.

​As documented in historical accounts, the Jebala women celebrated the victories of Ould Hamidou El Kharraz with songs that have outlived the falsified books of that era: "From where he struck at Dashriyin, he left their horses abandoned." These verses stand as a permanent testament to the popular recognition that biased historians deliberately silenced.

​A Martyr’s Legacy

​Ould Hamidou El Kharraz did not die in obscurity; he fell as a warrior. He was martyred in an aerial raid during the Battle of Asllalem (May 7, 1922), weapon in hand, standing firm against colonial encroachment. He was laid to rest alongside his fellow mujahideen, leaving behind a legacy that the media and the political "aristocracy" of his time sought to assassinate.

​Restoring Historical Justice

​The Battle of Lozien (June 15, 1913) was a massive confrontation where the Spanish army, led by high-ranking officers like Captains Ebris and Primo de Rivera, suffered heavy losses. While official records minimized these defeats to protect colonial morale, the reality was a devastating blow to the occupation's forces.

​We are not just documenting a life; we are dismantling the orchestrated silence. By publishing these facts and this rare photograph, we restore the honor of a hero betrayed by the historians of his own city. The truth is no longer a prisoner of the elite.

​Conclusion: The Truth That Cannot Be Erased

​"The history written by the pens of the elite in Tetouan was never a true reflection of reality; rather, it was a thick veil intended to hide the events unfolding behind the scenes of the resistance. They deliberately ignored critical details, such as the incident where resistance fighters infiltrated an aristocratic gala to abduct the wife of Slawi and her handmaidens—a moment that was not merely a military strike, but a defiant cry for dignity against those who sold their integrity to the colonial powers. While their women were treated with nobility and honor by the resistance, the 'historians of the court' were weaving narratives to appease their masters and condemn the heroes.

​Ould Hamidou El Kharraz remained the iron shield that protected Raisuni and the dignity of the Jebala. He met his end in a cowardly aerial raid during the Battle of Asllalem, falling as a martyr while clutching the weapon he never once set aside. Today, his noble body does not rest in solitude; he sleeps in the soil of Jebel al-Alam alongside his fellow mujahideen who honored their covenant with God, far from the noise of a falsified history that sought to assassinate his memory.

​By unearthing these documents and restoring these images, we are reclaiming justice for Ould Hamidou El Kharraz and his comrades. We declare that true history is not what was written in books of subservience, but what was carved into the battlefields by the blood of men and whispered in the hearts of the free in our rugged mountains. The masquerade of distortion is over; it is time for the truth to be told anew."

Topics Covered in This Episode

Moroccan History,Ould Hamidou El Kharraz,Resistance,Tetouan,

•  "Help us reclaim the legacy of our forgotten heroes. Share this post and let the truth be heard."

See also the previous episodes linked below 

https://northern-morocco-archive.blogspot.com/2026/07/episode-58-ahmed-er-raisunis-strategic.html

https://northern-morocco-archive.blogspot.com/2026/07/episode-59-illusion-of-invincibility.html

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