The History Of The Rif & The Forming Of Its Republic

The Rif is a mountainous region that is inhabited by the Berbers who speak a dialect known as the Tarifit of Amazigh. It is known that the Rif preferred to be uncontacted and had the tendency to defy outsiders who have the tendencies of attempting to control it .The founder of the Rif however, was previously a court judge and created a command in a biggest tribe of the Berbers. The founder of the Republic of the rif however was in the Ouriaghel tribe. In the year 1920, the tribes of the Rif rose up against the Spanish Colonial rule and rebelled against it. In the history of Morocco, there had been several attempts to form a republican form of a government.

In 1921, Abd el-Krim won over the Spanish General Sylvestre in Anoual. He also defeated the Spanish Army and was about the enter Melilea. During the 18th of September 1921, Abd el-Krim founded the Republic of the Rif and was also appointed as its President. Despite this state being referred to as a state, Abd el-Krim had the title Sultan or Amir. The capital of the Republic was known as Axdir and the currency used by the people of the republic was known as Riffan. Their National Independence Day was set to be on the 18th of September every year as it was the day the republic was founded and formed. The Republic of Rif came to be when the people of rif rose up against the Spanish occupation as well as from a Moroccan Sultan Yusef. The population of the republic was estimated to be around the number of 550, 000 people. However, it is a new republic and I will be looking forward to how it turns out in the future.

Power structure

Abd el-Krim has conquered and defeated the Spanish many times and has driven them back to the coasts. He had an intention to create a stable state for the Berbers to protect them from the years of war. Besides that, he also sent representatives to London and Paris to try to establish peace relations with Europe. .Abd el-Krim inflicted a humiliating defeat on the occupiers of their land and proclaimed the independent republic of the Rif. Although there were many tribes in the region of the Rif such as Beni Ouriaghel/ Ait Ouriaghel. The Ouriaghel tribe was known to be the people of Spain will remember this moment forever. This event is known as the Disaster of Annual or also as the Battle of Annual.

The Battle of Annual take place in Annual, Spanish Morocco. The Battle of Annual involved the Spanish Army of Africa and Berber combatant of the rift region. Many lives were lost to the Battle of Annual, it led to large-scale martial loss. My condolences to allthe people that sacrificed their lives for our country. This is the most terrifying event I ever witnessed.

It 11 am on the 22nd of July, I was with some of the forces neared the site of the event. It was a very frightful warm day due to the summer weather in Spain. There were around 5000 men of Annual walking out of their camp, based on some of the man, they did not know the reason for it. 5000 men walked in cluelessly without officers’ order, the 5000 men started shooting. It had caused chaos between the Spanish and the Rift tribesman. The chaos started, since the Spanish did not have a request or order from their officer. It was an easy task for the Rift tribesman. The Rift tribesman started cutting down the Spanish with their swords. It was a very distasteful sight to see from apart. Some of the Rift tribesman had started to come my way. Some of the Rift tribesmen were smiling while started shooting at our direction like they’re shooting at rabbits. The force and I quickly ran in a zig-zag motion to dodge their bullets. Some of us were lucky enough to run to the safety of the camp retreat but unfortunately some did not managed to escape from the Rift tribesman.

In the meantime, the Rift tribesman had a bloodbath session whenever they encounter a Spanish person. I was so close to getting caught by the Rift tribesman while I was hiding in the safe camp retreat. General Fernandez Silvestre stayed on the barricade of the Annual Stronghold while allof these events were happening at the same time. There are 13,363 people that were found dead or wounded during the Battle of Annual and 570 Spaniards that survived.