Episode 97: The Battle of Wadi Al-Sanina – Uncovering the Untold Moroccan Resistance Archive against Spanish Colonial Forces
- Episode 97: The Battle of Wadi Al-Sanina – Uncovering the Untold Moroccan Resistance Archive against Spanish Colonial Forces
The Battle of Wadi Al-Sanina — In one of the fiercest engagements of the Jebala resistance, Moroccan mujahideen confronted Spanish colonial forces in a brutal clash across the rugged mountain terrain. This archival-style illustration recreates the intensity and sacrifice that marked the battle.
Preparing for the Renowned Battle of Wadi Al-Sanina
Preparations for the renowned Battle of Wadi Al-Sanina were preceded by attempts at coordination—led by Sharif Moulay Ahmed al-Raisuni—between the pacified tribes under his authority and the rebellious ones. However, while the Jihad tribes remained loyal to al-Raisuni, the pacified tribes were subject to the authority of the Spanish colonial administration. The peace policy brokered between the leader al-Raisuni and the General Administration dictated coordination between the pacified and rebellious tribes, whereas the rebellious tribes maintained al-Raisuni’s policy of retaining their weapons. Specifically, three tribes—Bani Said, Bani Humar, and Bani Hassan—openly declared their defiance against al-Raisuni’s political line.
The Spanish occupation recognized that one of its gravest blunders during the occupation was permitting the pacified tribes to retain their weapons—a policy adopted during the tenure of General Berenguer. This policy was no longer pursued under his successor, General Sanjurjo, whose first priority was the comprehensive and total disarmament of every pacified tribe. Among the pacified tribes were the Western Khloot tribe and the sprawling Al-Khloot tribe, all of whom had surrendered and submitted to the authority of the occupying enemy, never having rebelled since coming under its obedience. Seeking to discipline the rebellious tribes opposing his policy, leader al-Raisuni ordered a mobilization of the pacified tribes and those that had not declared rebellion.
When the mujahideen tribes allied with the Khloot tribes gathered—led by Kaid al-Malali al-Rimi, whose men marched alongside the Spanish army to fight the rebellious tribes shoulder to shoulder—it weighed heavily upon them that they were now forced to fight their fellow rebels. From here, whispers of treason leaked to Sharif al-Raisuni, challenging his integrity in word and deed. When roughly seven hundred men gathered around him to march against the rebels opposing his policy—drawn from the three aforementioned tribes, whose leaders in Bani Hassan included Kaid Ahmed bin Said, who held ministerial rank directed toward Tarout village, with supervisory duties over the Smana coast and surrounding villages of the Bani Arouss tribe, including the village of Tarout, the Fiyanti, Al-Ahmas, and Bani Youssef villages up to the aforementioned Souq al-Khamis in Wadi Al-Sanina—the garrison of the said village maintained three outposts equipped with wireless telegraph equipment. One was located about 300 meters away, and the other atop a high elevation near the village of Abu Zahri, adjacent to the shrine of the righteous Sidi Allal al-Hajj, known locally as the village of the administrative and military center, commanded by an officer holding the rank of commander (komondor). Nearby, about a mile away, adjacent to the village of Hamoula on a high ridge, was a special wireless outpost at a location called "Zahr al-Birda," and at a distance towards the north stood a third outpost for guarding a high elevation called "Al-Barda'a."
Every garrison, outpost, and guard station was located no more than three miles from the Souq al-Khamis base. From the Barda'a guard post, north of the Souq al-Khamis base, lay three garrisons along the road connecting Tetouan and Larache. Two of these were situated on the aforementioned road, adjacent to our village about a mile away, called "Al-Raqba Al-Aaliya," located about eight miles from the Souq al-Khamis base, equipped with two cannons and sixty soldiers. The other was situated along the aforementioned road on a high elevation overlooking the mountain above our village at a place called "Sidi bin Al-Anwar," which served as another garrison subordinate to Larache, positioned about five miles from our village, equipped with a military arsenal and sixty soldiers. Connecting them and another garrison facing Tetouan near the height of "Adrou," located on the border between the Beni Ider and Beni Arouss tribes, was a garrison equipped with 30 cannons and 300 soldiers, which historical accounts note was besieged, its soldiers surrendered, and it surrendered to Kaid al-Arabi bin Halima, who chose the center of his camp in the village of Sidi Youssef. It is said that the four cannons were brought to Beni Waseim, and the aforementioned events concerning Kaid al-Arabi bin Halima took place, including the operations led by the martyred Sharif al-Sayyid al-Arabi bin Halima, as well as the events concerning the two neighboring garrisons of our village. Both surrendered to Kaid Mohammed al-Moudon, who escorted them to their major base in Souq al-Khamis under the safe-conduct of the translator Ben-Tinto, sending their soldiers to their base while handing over the military equipment, bringing matters back under the control of Al-Moudon.
The Operation to Withdraw from the Heights Adjacent to the Village of Tarout and Souq Khamis Beni Arouss
Prior to the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal from the city of Chefchaouen, the besieged occupation enemy forces were trapped in their major base at Souq Khamis Beni Arouss and the heights surrounding the village of Tarout. Once it became clear that the withdrawal stipulated by the peace agreement would entail regrouping and consolidating their strength for a retreat from their major base at Souq Khamis Beni Arouss via the defensive route, the mujahideen—at this juncture—imposed a severe blockade on the aforementioned base and its outposts on the heights. They cut off all supplies and military equipment from reaching them, which sparked continuous and fierce fighting between the mujahideen and the auxiliary garrisons across various facilities surrounding the village of Tarout, particularly on strategic heights and locations. Among these was the major garrison at a place called "Al-Bala'a," located near the village of Busrawas and the village of Tarout, which housed roughly ten thousand Spanish soldiers, flanked by an elevation called "Qajwa," supervised by the Beni Yahya faction of the Beni Youssef tribe, containing approximately two thousand soldiers. Two other garrisons were stationed at a location called "Zahr al-Barda," overlooking the transit route between Souq Khamis and the village of Tarout, housing about five hundred soldiers, while another guard post was positioned along the aforementioned road on a high elevation called "Al-Rif," near the village of Samana.
All these centers and their garrisons were situated on the southern bank of Wadi Al-Sanina. Wadi Al-Sanina lies within the territory of the Beni Arouss tribes, comprising three tribes: Beni Arouss, Samana, and Beni Youssef. Its land is among the most fertile agricultural soils in Bilad al-Sham, and its loss was unacceptable to the neighboring tribes. The major garrison overlooking the aforementioned garrisons and observation posts was situated on a towering height on the northern bank of Wadi Al-Sanina, at a place called "Boudeer," located about five hundred meters from the village of Abu Zahri. This garrison was equipped with a massive military force, including a hospital for horses and mules, roughly two thousand soldiers, and four cannons.
Continuation of the Narrative
...and in the Beni Humar tribe, the leader Ahmed Akhayrou, who held the position of defense for the commander M'hamed El Khattabi; and in the Beni Said tribe, commander M'hamed El Ferqa El Bakkali, who announced his defection and joined the Rifian revolution through his friend commander Ahmed bin Said. These three represented the spirit of the tribes rebelling against the policy of leader al-Raisuni. When the punitive army advanced toward the Beni Hassan tribe, skirmishes broke out between its men and the army, leading to friction. Intervention occurred between the two parties, convincing them of the futility of fighting each other and questioning how it could be right for them to fight the mujahideen who were bearing arms against the Christians, thereby dooming al-Raisuni's movement.
Some of these men chose to defect and join the Rifian revolution, with some walking away in neutrality, believing that Sharif al-Raisuni had become a traitor after breaking with the mujahideen and joining the ongoing, righteous Rifian revolution of jihad—prompting people to enter it in droves.
It is worth noting that leader Sharif Moulay Ahmed al-Raisuni still adhered to the peace policy brokered between him and the General Administration, especially after confirming that his illness was aggravating him and signaling that his sun was setting at the edges of the palm groves, turning his ally into a failure in every maneuver he assumed would benefit him in the background. At this juncture, he appointed new leaders for the tribes: he appointed his brother Moulay Ali as leader of the Beni Arouss tribe, his brother Moulay El Mostafa as Pasha of Asilah and the Western Khloot tribe, Sidi Abd al-Salam al-Sroukh al-Lahrawi (known as Boulad-Tamas) as leader of the Beni Jarfat tribe, Al-Arabi bin Damoun as leader of the Beni Srif tribe, Ahmed al-Hammal as leader of the Beni Youssef tribe, and Abdel-Salam Walad al-Ghar as leader of the Akhmas tribe. Thus, every tribe had a designated leader whose name was recorded. At this time, leader M'hamed El Khattabi appointed leaders for the tribes under his authority, but the people did not care about the leader appointed by the Rifian leader; they considered him irrelevant, did not submit their grievances to him, and instead directed their grievances to the leader appointed by Sharif al-Raisuni, submitting their cases to him. Consequently, the tribes split over the Rifian revolution: some saw justice in the Rifian revolution and remained loyal to Sharif al-Raisuni, finding in it the fulfillment of their desired aspirations and the continuation of war under his banner. Thus, the Beni Arouss faction broke away from the occupying forces, forming a faction serving under the banner of its leader. Those remaining with Sharif al-Raisuni stayed under the banner of leader Al-Talib Mohammed Walad al-Hajj the Mujahid Al-Talibi, while the Samana tribe joined the banner of its leader, Al-Talib Mohammed Walad al-Moudon.
Continuation of the Narrative)
...and the fallen piled up over one another in the valley, transforming the color of its water into blood and turning Wadi Bahri into a pool of the slain, fulfilling the words of the Iraqi poet:
“So the fallen cleared away their blood,
Until the water of the Tigris turned the color of the Ishqil.”
The men of the Samana and Beni Youssef tribes targeted the artillery fire and rifle shots at the Riffian garrison, inflicting heavy losses upon them. Because the agricultural land lacked trees and rocks behind which they could shield themselves from the enemy's vengeance, they found no comfort until they approached the edge of the valley. However, the enemy found no respite from the mujahideen—who were positioned on the northern bank of the valley, concealed within the heights of the Boudeer garrison—and they inflicted a crushing defeat upon the enemy forces, leaving behind neither shelter nor sanctuary from death. Thus, total destruction befell those piled masses at Wadi Al-Sanina; whether fleeing, retreating, or stealthily withdrawing, none returned, and none escaped death except those who managed to cling to a tree or escaped through a clever trick.
The battle resulted in the complete annihilation of the army, heavy losses in men and military equipment for the enemy, which the mujahideen seized from the battlefield. The battle also resulted in the martyrdom of many men from the Samana and Beni Youssef tribes. Yet, the enemy's losses in human lives and military equipment were exceedingly catastrophic; this is the renowned Battle of Wadi Al-Sanina, and these are the devastating losses suffered by the Spanish, for which the tribe of Beni Arouss paid a heavy price.
May God reward the men for their patience and sacrifices for a noble homeland, as they did not surrender to the occupying enemy without a cost. However, the enemy seized the Beni Arouss tribe at a heavy price—far exceeding the loss of wealth and men, for the price was the loss of manhood itself, offset by the loss of their peers among the men. Two months after the battlefield had turned into a cesspool reeking of rotting corpses, Wadi Al-Sanina—with its ravine—transformed into a gaping maw that swallowed everything that reached Al-Bala'a and beyond. Then, the siege was tightened around what remained of the garrison at the Boudeer outpost and its surrounding guard posts. The siege was intensified until they resorted to cries for help and appeals, prevented from even reaching the water at the base of their garrison, save for what reached them secretly through individuals who would slip out at night to procure water and white salt.
continuation and Conclusion
...growing weary of the imposed siege, they began taking risks, slipping out by day through ravines and valleys in search of safety to guide them back to their major base at Souq al-Khamis in safety. The mujahideen and the men of the village would intercept them, showering their path with rifle fire between the village houses.
It is related that one of the men of the village, named Al-Sayyid Ahmed Walad al-Srifia, originally from the village of Abu Zahri—and who was one of the staunch fighters of the mujahideen, suffering severe torment at the hands of the occupiers at the hands of the tribe's leader, Abd al-Salam al-Tagarzouti, following his surrender, though it was rumored otherwise—was once exposed to a faction of starving fugitives. He ambushed them in a secure location, and since his shooting was precise, resulting in no misses while he had two young companion youths with him, he killed everyone who came within his sights. His two sons also emptied their weapons until they killed eleven soldiers in a single spot and collected nine rifles. Similarly, he would lie in wait for those fleeing soldiers until he eliminated most of them, leaving none to escape except those who utilized a clever trick or ruse.
It is also recounted that a soldier broke into a house on his way and sought to use a woman to intercede for him, offering her his rifle and pleading for protection and mercy, begging to be spared from death. The master of the house was not present, so she hid him and fed him out of intense hunger until her husband arrived. When her husband arrived, his family interceded, begging him to spare the soldier and not kill him, and the wife's intercession was accepted. Later in the night, he escorted him out of his house and company until he passed the village houses, guided him on his way, and returned safely. This man performed this well-known noble deed for the fleeing man, and the leader of the garrison upon his return and the consolidation of his influence—namely the leader of the Tagarzouti administration, Abd al-Salam—envied him and resented this noble act performed by this man, wishing that death would overtake him and free him from him. However, he was unable to inflict any harm upon him due to the prestige he held, and despite the rage in his nose, the man lived secure from his malice and cunning. Among the honors shown to him at the time, the aforementioned leader was visited by his friend Colonel Figras in Jibali attire, and he was smuggled at night to enter "Boudeer" to meet the leader Ahmed Walad al-Mujahid, accompanied by the colonel.
The Climax of the Battle and the Annihilation of the Enemy
The bodies piled over one another in the valley, transforming the color of its water into blood and turning Wadi Bahri into a pool of the slain, fulfilling the words of the Iraqi poet:
“So the fallen cleared away their blood,
Until the water of the Tigris turned the color of the Ishqil.”
The men of the Samana and Beni Youssef tribes directed their artillery fire and rifle shots at the Riffian garrison, inflicting heavy losses upon them. Because the agricultural land lacked trees and rocks behind which they could shield themselves from the enemy's vengeance, they found no comfort until they approached the edge of the valley. However, the enemy found no respite from the mujahideen—who were positioned on the northern bank of the valley, concealed within the heights of the Boudeer garrison—and they inflicted a crushing defeat upon the enemy forces, leaving behind neither shelter nor sanctuary from death. Thus, total destruction befell those piled masses at Wadi Al-Sanina; whether fleeing, retreating, or stealthily withdrawing, none returned, and none escaped death except those who managed to cling to a tree or escaped through a clever trick.
The battle resulted in the complete annihilation of the army, heavy losses in men and military equipment for the enemy, which the mujahideen seized from the battlefield. The battle also resulted in the martyrdom of many men from the Samana and Beni Youssef tribes. Yet, the enemy's losses in human lives and military equipment were exceedingly catastrophic; this is the renowned Battle of Wadi Al-Sanina, and these are the devastating losses suffered by the Spanish, for which the tribe of Beni Arouss paid a heavy price.
May God reward the men for their patience and sacrifices for a noble homeland, as they did not surrender to the occupying enemy without a cost. However, the enemy seized the Beni Arouss tribe at a heavy price—far exceeding the loss of wealth and men, for the price was the loss of manhood itself, offset by the loss of their peers among the men. Two months after the battlefield had turned into a cesspool reeking of rotting corpses, Wadi Al-Sanina—with its ravine—transformed into a gaping maw that swallowed everything that reached Al-Bala'a and beyond. Then, the siege was tightened around what remained of the garrison at the Boudeer outpost and its surrounding guard posts. The siege was intensified until they resorted to cries for help and appeals, prevented from even reaching the water at the base of their garrison, save for what reached them secretly through individuals who would slip out at night to procure water and white salt.
Fugitives, Tales of Survival, and the Final Withdrawal
Growing weary of the imposed siege, they began taking risks, slipping out by day through ravines and valleys in search of safety to guide them back to their major base at Souq al-Khamis in safety. The mujahideen and the men of the village would intercept them, showering their path with rifle fire between the village houses.
It is related that one of the men of the village, named Al-Sayyid Ahmed Walad al-Srifia, originally from the village of Abu Zahri—and who was one of the staunch fighters of the mujahideen, suffering severe torment at the hands of the occupiers at the hands of the tribe's leader, Abd al-Salam al-Tagarzouti, following his surrender, though it was rumored otherwise—was once exposed to a faction of starving fugitives. He ambushed them in a secure location, and since his shooting was precise, resulting in no misses while he had two young companion youths with him, he killed everyone who came within his sights. His two sons also emptied their weapons until they killed eleven soldiers in a single spot and collected nine rifles. Similarly, he would lie in wait for those fleeing soldiers until he eliminated most of them, leaving none to escape except those who utilized a clever trick or ruse.
It is also recounted that a soldier broke into a house on his way and sought to use a woman to intercede for him, offering her his rifle and pleading for protection and mercy, begging to be spared from death. The master of the house was not present, so she hid him and fed him out of intense hunger until her husband arrived. When her husband arrived, his family interceded, begging him to spare the soldier and not kill him, and the wife's intercession was accepted. Later in the night, he escorted him out of his house and company until he passed the village houses, guided him on his way, and returned safely. This man performed this well-known noble deed for the fleeing man, and the leader of the garrison upon his return and the consolidation of his influence—namely the leader of the Tagarzouti administration, Abd al-Salam—envied him and resented this noble act performed by this man, wishing that death would overtake him and free him from him. However, he was unable to inflict any harm upon him due to the prestige he held, and despite the rage in his nose, the man lived secure from his malice and cunning. Among the honors shown to him at the time, the aforementioned leader was visited by his friend Colonel Figras in Jibali attire, and he was smuggled at night to enter "Boudeer" to meet the leader Ahmed Walad al-Mujahid, accompanied by the colonel...
...death towards their major base at Souq al-Khamis, awaiting their withdrawal to the secure safe bases at "Bamnkrot" at the foot of the Beni Arouss farmlands and Souq al-Ithnin Sidi Yamani in the Khloot tribe, while their major base "Bil-A'sh" in the outskirts of Asilah town. Then the mujahideen shifted to imposing a siege on the leaders of Souq al-Khamis and their rear guard centers around Al-Rihan, Al-Safriya, Bab al-Suwar, Rakabat al-Ghazal, and Al-Sarja. They pounced on all the guard outposts, bombarding them with gunfire to prevent them from moving and forcing them to stay confined within their outposts, tightening the siege on the Shouna center, which was equipped with numerous soldiers and field artillery pieces. The guard posts at Zahr al-Rihan, overlooking the position of Sidi Hady, aided them, cutting off all access to water—which is essential for human survival. The strategic Safriya center was equipped with four artillery pieces and columns of Spanish soldiers, overlooking the height of Sidi Hady, while the Ein al-Hadid village and its outposts near Bab al-Suwar were equipped with a platoon of soldiers and two machine guns. During these days, a military relief convoy carrying a shipment of ammunition and war provisions was dispatched to the Souq al-Khamis base, loaded on two carts. When it approached Sidi Hady, it found an ambush set by the mujahideen, who opened fire on them with their rifles, forcing them to halt and engage in a fierce battle between them and their garrison. When they were forced to surrender and abandon the carts, the fire spread, and they fled towards the guard post at Zahr al-Rihan. The battle resulted in the killing of three soldiers and the burning of the two carts carrying the new weapons, while a single mujahid was martyred—Al-Sayyid Ahmed Walad al-Tayeb al-Nattash from the village of Bouamar—and another mujahid from the village of Ain Ziyana of the Awad Qasimi clan was injured. Following this, the famous Battles of Wadi Al-Sanina, the First and Second, took place, followed by other battles until the entire enemy force withdrew from its major base at Souq al-Khamis through continuous fighting.
Stay focused and keep following closely—we are now nearing the final episodes of this epic historical journey chronicling the heroism and resistance of the mountain tribes in Northern Morocco!
See also the previous episodes linked below
المشرف على منصة "أرشيف شمال المغرب" للتوثيق والبحث التاريخي.
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