Episode 75: The Fall of Tazrout – Raining Fire from Earth and Sky under Berenguer’s Iron Heel
A visual representation of the tense historical dynamic between foreign military presence and local leadership in early 20th-century Morocco. A battle not just of forces, but of wills.
Prologue: The Gathering Storm over the Holy Sanctuary
By May 1922, the war in northern Morocco had reached a fever pitch. For over thirteen years, the sacred village of Tazrout—perched among the rugged peaks of the Jebala region—had stood as an impenetrable bastion of Moroccan resistance. It was not merely a military encampment; Tazrout was the spiritual and political heartland of Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni, known throughout the Islamic world and Europe alike as the "Sultan of Jebala."
Tazrout represented everything the Spanish colonial administration desperately wished to crush. Situated approximately sixty miles from Larache, this holy village served as a sanctuary for freedom fighters, a center for judicial and administrative governance, and a symbol of defiance against foreign encroachment. From this mountain stronghold, Al-Raysuni had directed tribal alliances, held high-ranking foreign prisoners, frustrated Spanish generals, and dictated terms to diplomats from Madrid, London, and Paris.
However, the colonial administration in Madrid could no longer tolerate the existence of an independent, unyielding enclave in the mountains. The humiliating defeats suffered by the Spanish military across the region, coupled with internal political pressures in Spain, demanded a decisive victory. To achieve this, Madrid entrusted the total destruction of Tazrout to a man who would leave a trail of blood and devastation across the mountains: High Commissioner General Dámaso Berenguer.
Berenguer was not merely a military commander; he was a ruthless strategist whose doctrine rested on total warfare, devastating firepower, and the complete annihilation of the enemy's will to resist. He understood that as long as Tazrout stood, the authority of the Spanish Protectorate remained a mockery. Thus, Berenguer prepared an unprecedented military machine, assembling forces from the land, the sea, and the sky to execute a scorched-earth campaign designed to erase Tazrout from the map once and for all.
Chapter I: General Berenguer and the Spanish War Machine
1. The Mobilization of an Empire’s Might
The scale of the military preparation for the assault on Tazrout was unlike anything the Jebala region had ever witnessed. General Berenguer calculated that overwhelming, brutal force was the only way to break the natural defenses of the mountain tribes. He assembled a vast invasion force estimated at nearly 62,000 soldiers, bringing together elite European troops, the Spanish Foreign Legion (La Legión), native regulares, infantry regiments, and specialized mountain artillery units.
To support this massive infantry force, the Spanish military deployed an extraordinary arsenal:
- Massive Artillery Deployment: Over 400 heavy and light cannons were positioned in a sweeping arc surrounding the Jebala strongholds. These guns were capable of unleashing a continuous barrage that echoed through the valleys for miles.
- Aerial Superiority: Operating primarily out of the strategic Bsemid El-Ma airbase situated between Ksar el-Kebir and Larache, squadron after squadron of Spanish warplanes took to the sky. These bombers carried thousands of tons of high-explosive bombs, targeting not only combatants but villages, livestock, crops, and civilian infrastructure.
- Naval and Logistic Chains: Spanish warships anchored off the coast, ensuring a steady stream of war material, fresh troops, heavy munitions, and armored vehicles poured into the strategic ports of Ceuta, Melilla, Tetouan, and Larache.
2. The Franco-Spanish Colonial Pact
Recognizing that Sharif Al-Raysuni was a master of mountain maneuvering and could easily retreat across territorial borders, General Berenguer coordinated closely with French colonial authorities. The French military apparatus agreed to secure the southern bank of the Loukkos River, effectively sealing off any potential escape routes or supply corridors toward the south.
This joint imperial encirclement transformed the Jebala mountains into a giant pressure cooker. The strategy was simple yet catastrophic: cut off all food supplies, bombard every square inch of the sanctuary, and force the Mujahideen into a tight perimeter where superior firepower could wipe them out.
3. The Tribal Coalition: Standing Against the Armada
Faced with this terrifying concentration of modern military power, Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni mobilized every fighter available across the loyal tribes. The call to Jihad resonated through the mountains, drawing fierce combatants from:
- Beni Aros (the primary defenders of the local territory)
- Akhmas (celebrated for their relentless frontline infantry fighters)
- Beni Youssef
- Beni Zkar
- Ahl Sreef
- Ghmara
These tribal warriors, though severely outnumbered and lacking modern artillery or anti-aircraft weapons, possessed an intimate knowledge of the treacherous terrain, an unyielding religious devotion, and a desperate determination to protect their homes, families, and holy sites.
Chapter II: The Battle for Tazrout Begins – Fire from the Sky
1. The Opening Salvo (3 Ramadan 1340 / May 6, 1922)
On the 3rd of Ramadan, 1340 AH (May 6, 1922 AD), the order for the general assault was given. From every direction, the Spanish advance columns began moving toward Tazrout like a swarm of locusts.
The assault opened with a artillery bombardment that lit up the horizon. The heavy guns poured a relentless torrent of shells onto the mountain slopes, creating a continuous roar that local chroniclers described as "deafening enough to deafen the ears and terrify nursing mothers." Simultaneously, Spanish warplanes flew low over Tazrout, dropping tons of explosive ordnance onto the village square, homes, livestock corrals, and defensive trenches.
2. The Convergence of the Spanish Columns
General Berenguer organized his forces into multiple tactical columns, attempting to choke Tazrout from all geographical approaches:
- The Ceuta Column: Commanded by Colonel Berra, advancing through the rugged terrain of Ahl Sreef, Beni Youssef, and Beni Zkar toward the southern approaches of Tazrout.
- The Larache Column: Pushing from the west, coordinating with French forces along the Loukkos riverbank.
- The Foreign Legion and Cavalry: Led by Colonel Malkey and General Soriano, serving as shock troops to spearhead attacks against entrenched tribal positions.
- Specialized Rifle and Machine-Gun Battalions: Under commanders such as Lieutenant Colonel González Tablas, tasked with clearing out sniper nests and mountain caves.
3. Seven Days of Unrelenting Violence
Between May 9 and May 15 (Ramadan 9–13), the intensity of the fighting reached unimaginable proportions. Day and night became indistinguishable under the thick clouds of black smoke, burning timber, and kicked-up mountain dust. The scream of diving aircraft engines mixed with the sharp rhythm of Spanish machine guns and the steady, deliberate return fire of the Mujahideen’s Mauser rifles.
Despite the brutal bombing campaigns, the Moroccan defenders refused to yield their ground easily. Every rock, ravine, and mountain path became a battleground. The Mujahideen utilized ambush tactics, rolling heavy boulders down narrow gorges onto advancing Spanish platoons and engaging in ferocious hand-to-hand combat whenever the enemy attempted to enter the outer perimeters of the village.
Chapter III: The Heart of the Drama – The Martyrdom of El-Kharraz
1. A Leader Who Refused to Hide
As the Spanish shells pulverized the outer buildings of Tazrout, Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni sat in his command post atop the mountain ridge overlooking the battlefield. With him was his most trusted companion, chief lieutenant, and military advisor: Sharif Al-Qaid Wold Hamido El-Kharraz.
El-Kharraz, seeing the absolute devastation wrought by the artillery and air raids, pleaded with Al-Raysuni to remain safely in the upper mountain observation point where he could oversee troop movements without exposing himself to direct fire.
"My Lord," El-Kharraz urged, "your life is the soul of this revolution. Stay here, direct the fighters, and let us handle the front lines."
Sharif Al-Raysuni adamantly refused to play the role of an isolated commander while his men bled below. In a moment of deep spiritual resignation and bravery, Al-Raysuni performed ritual ablution (Wudu), offered a solemn two-unit prayer (Raka'at), dressed in immaculate new white robes and fresh footwear, and picked up his rifle. Down into the smoky, blood-drenched basin of Jbel Al-Salam he went, taking his place directly alongside his fighters.
2. The Fall of a Giant
The battle raged at point-blank range. The distance between the Mujahideen and the advancing Spanish legionnaires shrank to less than three hundred meters. Officers on both sides directed their units amidst a hail of bullets.
In the midst of this chaotic clash, disaster struck the Moroccan ranks. Sharif Al-Qaid Wold Hamido El-Kharraz was struck down by enemy fire, falling as a martyr on the field of honor.
+-----------------------------------+
| THE SIEGE OF TAZROUT (1922) |
+-----------------------------------+
|
+------------------------------+------------------------------+
| |
[SPANISH OFFENSIVE] [RESISTANCE DEFENSE]
- Gen. Dámaso Berenguer - Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni
- ~62,000 Troops / 400 Artillery Guns - Allied Tribal Mujahideen
- Aerial Bombardment (Bsemid El-Ma Base) - Deep Defense at Tazrout
| |
+------------------------------+------------------------------+
|
+---------------------------+
| CLIMAX AT THE FRONTLINE |
+---------------------------+
| - Al-Raysuni Joins Battle |
| - Fall of Wold El-Kharraz |
| - Fierce Night Retrieval |
+---------------------------+
|
+---------------------------+
| STRATEGIC EVACUATION |
+---------------------------+
| - Evacuation to Jbel |
| Abi Hashim Caves |
| - Fall of Tazrout Ruin |
+---------------------------+
When news of El-Kharraz’s death reached Sharif Al-Raysuni, it delivered a profound emotional blow. However, there was no time for grief in the heat of battle; an immediate crisis was at hand.
In previous engagements—most notably following the martyrdom of the legendary anti-colonial leader Sharif Mohamed Ameziane near Melilla—Spanish forces had seized the bodies of fallen resistance leaders to display them as war trophies, mutilate them, or use them for propaganda.
Al-Raysuni swore that such a fate would never touch his beloved friend. He turned to his exhausted, battle-weary men and issued an uncompromising command:
"By the honor of the Sharif, stand firm! Be patient and endure! Do not allow the enemy to lay a single hand on his body!"
3. The Night Fight for the Martyr’s Body
In response to Al-Raysuni’s plea, the Mujahideen launched a fierce counter-charge under the cover of darkness. For hours, amidst pitch-black conditions punctuated only by muzzle flashes and artillery flares, a bitter struggle raged over the recovery of El-Kharraz’s remains.
Twenty-four additional Mujahideen lost their lives in that single night assault, pressing forward against machine-gun fire until they successfully retrieved the body of their fallen commander.
When the blood-stained body of El-Kharraz was finally carried back and laid gently at the feet of Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni, the leader broke down. The formidable "Sultan of the Mountains," who had spent decades defying empires without flinching, wept bitter tears that flowed from the depths of his heart and soul.
With his own hands, Al-Raysuni prepared his companion for burial, ordering that El-Kharraz be interred near the holy shrine of his revered ancestor, Moulay Abdellah ben M'chich, treating him with the highest honors accorded to the great martyrs of Islam.
Chapter IV: The Evacuation and the Secret Citadel of Jbel Abi Hashim
1. The Order to Retreat (13 Ramadan 1340 / May 15, 1922)
By May 15, 1922 (13 Ramadan 1340 AH), the defense of Tazrout had reached its physical limit. Ammunition was running critically low, food stores had been destroyed by fire, and the village itself was reduced to a smoking heap of rubble and stone. Furthermore, several key commanders—including members of Al-Raysuni's own family, such as Moulay Ali, Moulay Al-Mustafa, and Moulay Al-Hussein—had sustained severe injuries.
Recognizing that remaining in Tazrout meant total annihilation, Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni made the strategic decision to execute an organized evacuation. He ordered his forces to pull back from the ruined village, evacuate the wounded, transport the civilian population to neighboring friendly tribes, and withdraw deep into the inaccessible heights of Jbel Abi Hashim.
2. The Underground Fortress Built by Captives
The retreat to Jbel Abi Hashim was not a desperate, chaotic flight into the unknown; it was the activation of a long-prepared, secret contingency plan.
High up in the cliffs of Jbel Abi Hashim, hidden behind mist and sheer rock faces, lay a complex network of fortified caves known locally as "Bu'arabi." These were not primitive geological cracks in the earth. Over previous years, using Spanish military engineers and prisoners of war captured in earlier campaigns, Al-Raysuni had transformed these natural caverns into a fully subterranean military headquarters.
The interior of Jbel Abi Hashim featured:
- Habitable Quarters: Carved-out living spaces complete with stone walls, ventilation shafts, and sleeping areas for the leadership and guards.
- Storage Vaults: Deep subterranean chambers designed to keep ammunition, gunpowder, food rations, and medical supplies safe from aerial bombardment.
- Secret Escape Passages: Tunnels carved through the mountain, allowing fighters to move unseen between different faces of the cliffside.
- Fortified Perimeter Bases: External outposts built with high, thick stone walls—such as the position named "El-Garana"—equipped with light and heavy defensive artillery to cover the approaches to the caves.
So secretive was the construction of this underground fortress that historical accounts note the Spanish prisoners who constructed the deepest chambers were killed or permanently detained to ensure that no map or blueprint of the interior layout could ever reach the Spanish intelligence services.
Chapter V: Hollow Victory – The Aftermath and the Fall of Berenguer
1. The Entry into a Ghost Village
When General Berenguer’s forces finally entered Tazrout on May 15, 1922, they did not find a defeated enemy begging for mercy. They found a deserted, pulverized ghost town.
The historical shrine of Moulay Ali ben Raysun—the spiritual foundation of the village—had been smashed into piles of stone by artillery fire. The homes were scorched shells, and the civilian population had vanished into the surrounding mountain ranges.
Though Spanish propaganda declared a momentous victory and announced the "destruction of the Raysuni threat," the military reality on the ground was far different. Berenguer had captured acres of scorched stone, but he had failed to capture or kill Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni, nor had he broken the resistance of the mountain tribes.
2. The Human Cost of the Operation
The conquest of Tazrout came at a staggering price for the Spanish Crown.
|
Metric / Aspect |
Spanish Empire Forces |
Moroccan Mujahideen & Local Tribes |
|---|---|---|
|
Casualties |
Thousands killed and wounded; high officer mortality (e.g., Lt. Col. González Tablas). |
Significant losses; 25+ key casualties in the final night action alone. |
|
Key Leaders Lost |
Lieutenant Colonel González Tablas (died of wounds). |
Qaid Wold Hamido El-Kharraz (Martyred). |
|
Territorial Status |
Occupied smoking ruins of Tazrout; established outposts (Bu'arabi, El-Garana). |
Evacuated to underground fortress at Jbel Abi Hashim. |
|
Strategic Outcome |
Tactical victory, but strategic failure to eliminate Al-Raysuni or pacify Jebala. |
Shifted from open static defense to mountain guerilla warfare. |
The death of high-ranking Spanish officers like Lieutenant Colonel González Tablas sent shockwaves through the Spanish military hierarchy. Spanish units were left holding isolated, exposed outposts in the middle of hostile territory, subjected to relentless night raids and sniper fire from the Mujahideen hiding in the shadows of Jbel Abi Hashim.
3. The Downfall of General Dámaso Berenguer
Back in Spain, the news of the immense casualties, combined with the astronomical financial cost of the Tazrout campaign, sparked political outrage. The Spanish public—already traumatized by the catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Anual in the Rif a year prior—could no longer tolerate the endless sacrifice of their sons in the mountains of North Africa.
General Berenguer’s promises of a quick, decisive pacification of Jebala had turned into a protracted, bloody war of attrition. The continuous arrival of hospital ships carrying thousands of wounded soldiers into the ports of Malaga and Seville ignited anti-war protests, political scandals, and military inquiries in Madrid.
Under unbearable political pressure and facing intense scrutiny from the Spanish Parliament (Cortes), General Dámaso Berenguer was forced to resign his post as High Commissioner in disgrace. The man who had set out to crush Al-Raysuni was himself crushed by the political fallout of his own war crimes.
Chapter VI: Historical Analysis – Legacy of the 75th Episode
1. The Shift in Resistance Strategy
Episode 75 represents a fundamental turning point in the history of northern Moroccan anti-colonialism. The loss of Tazrout marked the end of the "open sanctuary" era for Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni. For years, Al-Raysuni had operated like a semi-independent sovereign, entertaining foreign journalists, holding diplomatic talks, and maintaining an open court.
After May 1922, the war transformed entirely into a covert, guerilla-style struggle based out of mountain caves and deep valleys. This transition laid the groundwork for the next dramatic phase of Moroccan history: the complex, tense, and ultimate confrontation between the aging Sharif of Jebala and the rising military genius of the Rif, Mohamed ben Abd el-Krim El-Khattabi.
2. The Symbolism of Tazrout
Despite its physical destruction, Tazrout stood as a testament to the extraordinary resilience of traditional Moroccan society when confronted by a modern imperial war machine. A coalition of mountain tribesmen, equipped with basic rifles and driven by faith and loyalty to their leader, had managed to hold off a European army of 62,000 men backed by modern airpower and naval artillery for weeks.
The memory of the defenders of Tazrout—men like Qaid Wold Hamido El-Kharraz, who gave their lives to protect their land and the dignity of their fallen brothers—remains etched in the historical memory of the region.
Epilogue: The Shadow in the Caves
As the dust settled over the ruins of Tazrout in the summer of 1922, General Berenguer’s successor stood in the newly built Spanish military blockhouses, staring up into the mist-covered peak of Jbel Abi Hashim.
Deep inside those mountain caves, lit only by flickering oil lamps, sat Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni. Though frail, grieving the loss of his closest friends, and stripped of his beloved palace, the Sharif remained undefeated in spirit. He continued to issue directives, dispatch couriers across the tribes, and plan his next moves.
The battle for Tazrout was over, but the war for the soul of northern Morocco was far from concluded.
Stay Tuned for Episode 76
Join us in the next installment as we delve into the underground life of Sharif Ahmed Al-Raysuni inside the secret caverns of Jbel Abi Hashim, the escalating rivalry with the Rifian forces, and the final dramatic chapters of the Jebala resistance!
You can also see the previous episode
The Raisuni Archives: Uncovering the History of the Northern Moroccan Resistance
Translated and Edited by Jaafar Lhioui
🌐 Digital Archive: northern-morocco-archive.blogspot.com
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