Episode 81Shift from Armed Resistance to Political Negotiations

"Archival framed portrait of General Ricardo Burguete, the Spanish High Commissioner in Morocco (1922), placed on a vintage wooden desk alongside historical documents, an ornate leather notebook labeled in Arabic, and a magnifying glass."

General Ricardo Burguete (1922): Appointed as the new Spanish High Commissioner in Tetouan following military setbacks in the Rif and Jbala. Sent by Madrid to open direct peace negotiations with Leader Moulay Ahmed El Raisuni from his stronghold in Jbel Bou Hachem.

The Transition from Military Resistance to Political Negotiations

Introduction / Sources: "This episode relies on primary historical sources, notably the Historical Archive of Taher Lhioui: Rare Documents on Northern Morocco, which provides an inside look into the resistance led by Sharif El Raisuni and the tribal leaders."

"This episode relies on primary historical sources, notably the Historical Archive of Taher Lhioui: Rare Documents on Northern Morocco, which provides an inside look into the resistance led by Sharif El Raisuni and the tribal leaders."

1. El Raisuni’s Strategic Shift from Jbel Bou Hachem

Leader Moulay Ahmed El Raisuni was able to continue his military operations from within the caves of Jbel Abi Hashim. However, military action transitioned from armed conflict to political struggle in order to achieve the peace that Spain sought. Spain wished to withdraw its troops from the mountain peaks after finding itself in a critical situation. This came after Madrid’s ruling circles believed they had achieved their greatest victory by occupying the village of Tazrout—the center of the mountain revolution. However, they soon felt that they had failed to "strike the head of the snake," as El Raisuni took refuge in the caves of Jbel Abi Hashim. Despite the severe military siege, El Raisuni maintained strong faith and hope that God would grant relief, preserve his dignity, and free him from this ordeal.

2. Field Operations and Guerrilla Tactics

Even while enemy forces surrounded him from all sides and rained continuous fire upon his position, El Raisuni continued to think deeply from inside the caves about continuing the war against the occupier. To alleviate the pressure, he tasked his loyal men—instructing his friend, the hero El-Arbi ben El-Khedir El-Anjri—to alter the war plan and strike enemy posts in the most distant locations. El-Anjri took a detachment of Mujahideen and launched an attack on the enemy’s center near the village of El Manar, close to Tangier. This attack struck terror into the hearts of Spanish politicians, proving that El Raisuni was even stronger than before.

3. Local Victories and Capturing Enemy Troops

The center's garrison consisted entirely of Spanish soldiers. After the assault with rifles, all the Spanish troops surrendered. El-Anjri led the captured soldiers to his home, imprisoned them briefly, and then released them as a ransom/sacrifice. He stated that he delivered them to the leader of the Riffian revolution, Commander M'hand. Commander El-Arbi ben El-Khedir carried out this attack under the orders of Commander Ould Hmidou El-Kharraz—an assistant to the Riffian President—who had been martyred about two months prior in the Battle of Tazrout alongside Commander Ahmed ben Abdelkrim.

4. Deceptive Operations along the Coast

Sharif El Raisuni also tasked his nephew, Commander Mohamed El-Moudan, with leading a force to attack the outskirts of Asilah (the base of El Aych), which was then the largest Spanish military stronghold. El-Moudan created immense panic among enemy forces before retreating. Furthermore, El Raisuni instructed Commander Ould El-Chaouia to cut off supply routes, leading a detachment to the Thursday Market of the Coast (Khemis Es-Sahel). These maneuvers deceived the enemy into believing that the front lines had fallen back, spreading severe panic and anxiety throughout political circles in Tetouan and beyond.

5. The Siege and Economic Blockade of Spanish Forces

Political circles interpreted these calculated plans as a direct threat to their hopes after occupying Tazrout. Thus, Leader El Raisuni successfully forced the military establishment to reconsider its strategy while troubling political circles with strategic rear-guard strikes. Under these suffocating conditions, Spanish forces in the mountain peaks found themselves trapped—unable to advance, request help, or secure supply lines. This granted local tribes a valuable opportunity to crush supply caravans and plunder enemy gear. Young tribesmen competed in cutting off food and water from the occupying armies in the mountains, leaving them to suffer from severe hunger and thirst.

6. Political Fallout in Madrid

Despite Spain's heavy use of warplanes, aerial strikes proved useless due to the large number of Mujahideen keeping watch. Spanish commanders committed severe errors regarding the troops trapped in the mountain peaks (across Beni Aros, Lakhmas, Chaouen, Ghomara, Waddi Law, Beni Jerfet, and Beni Youssef). Spanish political circles viewed the destructive policy of General Berenguer as a massive crime against Spain and its soldiers in the Western Front. Political circles considered the greatest blunder to be leaving arms in the hands of local tribes while failing to secure supply routes originating from Asilah or Larache. It became nearly impossible for supplies to reach enemy armies, leading to widespread condemnation in Spain where leaders were accused of blindly throwing their men into the fire.

High Commissioner General Burguete: Messenger of Peace to Leader El Raisuni

1. Spain Submits to Peace Negotiations

As the siege in the caves stretched to eight months, Spanish commanders succumbed to pressure and sought negotiations with Leader El Raisuni in his Jbel Abi Hashim stronghold to resolve the withdrawal of occupied forces. The Spanish government appointed High Commissioner General Burguete to initiate negotiations. Appointed to the High Residency in Tetouan on July 15, 1922, Burguete assumed his duties on July 20 of the same year and immediately dispatched a delegation to Sharif El Raisuni.

2. The First Delegation and Tensions in the Caves

The delegation sent by El Raisuni consisted of three family members:

The scholar Moulay Es-Sadiq El-Raisuni
His cousin, the scholar Sidi Mohamed ben El-Mekki El-Raisuni
The scholar Sidi Abdelrahman El-Raisuni (known as Bould El-Fasiya)

Upon arriving at the caves of Jbel Abi Hashim, the Spanish envoy presented the peace policy sought by the new High Commissioner, General Burguete. After understanding the intent, Fqih Moulay Es-Sadiq turned to his cousin and remarked bluntly: "You have brought everything in your belly!"—using a local proverb to indicate that the Spanish were hiding nothing about their desperation. Speaking without fear of consequences or diplomatic fluff, he told the envoy: "I do not fear the Christians... We are inviting you to peace, yet you invite us to war like a defeated party seeking conflict!" The delegation left in anger without achieving any results, returning from the journey under an aura of grim failure.

3. Confrontation at Khemis Market and Second Meeting Proposal

Upon reaching the Thursday Market (Souk El-Khemis), a senior military officer intercepted the delegation to inquire about the peace news, asking if there was any hope for an agreement. Fqih Moulay Es-Sadiq angrily replied: "With whom would there be peace or negotiations? There is no one there except a pack of wild beasts and forest hyenas who hear no words and respond to no understanding!"

Despite this setback, the High Residency sent a second request to arrange another meeting place to discuss peace terms. El Raisuni accepted their request and designated the village of Adayaz as the meeting site. Located at the foot of Jbel El-Alam in the Western region (loyal to Tetouan and the Beni Aros tribe), the village sat approximately eight miles from the caves of Jbel Abi Hashim.

Conclusion

From Mountain Caves to the Diplomatic Table: Despite being driven into the harsh caves of Jbel Bou Hachem, Moulay Ahmed El Raisuni turned a desperate military siege into a strategic stalemate, forcing the Spanish military establishment to reconsider its entire campaign.
The Guerilla Edge: Through relentless supply-line blockades led by local tribal commanders, the Mujahideen brought the occupying forces in the Rif and Jbala mountains to a standstill, leaving Spanish troops isolated and starving.
Spain’s Political Crisis & The Burguete Mandate: The failure of direct military force sparked heavy backlash in Madrid, leading to the appointment of General Burguete as High Commissioner in Tetouan with an urgent mission: negotiate peace with El Raisuni.
Uncompromising Resolve: The tense initial encounter between El Raisuni’s delegation and Spanish envoys demonstrated that the Mujahideen would not accept weak terms, setting the stage for a high-stakes diplomatic standoff.

Looking Ahead (Teaser for Episode 82)

"With Spain backed into a corner and forced to negotiate, can the new High Commissioner General Burguete broker a lasting treaty at the village of Adayaz? Or will El Raisuni’s strict demands push the region back into all-out warfare? Tune in to Episode 82 as the battle shifts from the mountains to the negotiation table!

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أرشيف الطاهر اللهيوي | الذاكرة التاريخية Taher Lhioui Archive | Historical Memory