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Treaty of Fez
In March France establish a protectorate in Morocco. After some time in November France decided to give Spain a 5% of his protectorate, including the rif area as well as the morocco's Mediterranean coast. All of this was agreed in the Treaty of Fez in 1912. -
Abd el-Krims and spain controling territories
Spain was frustrated due to the amount of revolt that were occurring in their territory. Because of it, the government told the Dámaso Berenguer ( the high commissioner) , to try to bring more of the protectorate territories under Spanish control.
The same year the Abd el-Krims, who were a leading Beni Urriaguel family ,who had always helped Spain and the authorities in Melilla, discover Spain's plans of military occupation and domination of their group. Their friendly relationship ended. -
Mohammed Abd al-Krim
Following his father's death (Abd al-Karim El-Khattabi) in 1920, the leading and organizational authority, Mohammed Abd al-Krim, along with his brother and other family members, began to mobilize his party and neighbors against Spain's progress. -
Annual disaster
In 1921 Abd el-Krim’s forces made a revolution with a series of guerrilla attacks in the region of Annual. They were pushing Spanish forces back to Melilla. Unfortunately for Spain, they suffer a major disaster and lost most of their territories and there were to many death, around 13,154. At the end Spain forces had to withdraw. -
Republic of the Rif
After the disaster of Annual, Abd el-KIm establish the Republic of the Rif. The republic was formally constituted in 1923 with Abd el-Krim as Head of state and Ben Hajj Hatmi as Prime Minister. -
Consequences of the Annual disaster
The consequences of the Annual disaster were a political crisis that was explode after the Picasso File. As well as a military crisis that caused the removal of Berenguer as high commissioner, and finally the rise to power of Primo de Rivera in 1923 because it was thought that he would put an end to the situation. -
Abd el-Kim VS French protectorate
Abd el Kim was at his highest power in 1924 and 1925. On April 12, 1925, Abd el-Krim made the mistake of sending his forces into the French protectorate. Capturing the French by surprise, Rif warriors captured dozens of frontline positions, and they caused a lot of damage to France. However, this led to an agreement between France and Spain that resulted in the Alhucemas' Landing. -
Alhucemas' Landing
Alhucemas' Landing was the first step to Spain victory. It was an operation that took place in Alhucemas by the Spanish Army and Navy algon with some French allies. It consisted in sending around 13,000 soldiers transported from Ceuta and Melilla by a combined Spanish-French naval fleet, and there they will fight. The operation was a success. -
The end of the war
On May 27, 1926, Abd el-Krim surrendered to the French, who promised to protect him and his family. In exchange, he promptly released all Spanish and French prisoners and the unconditional surrender of the Rif forces. He and his family went into exile on a French island called Réunion for the next 21 years. -
Officially pacified
In July 1927 Spanish Morocco was declared officially pacified, the war was ended. -
Consequences of the war
The main consequences of the Rif War were the dissolution of the Rif Republic and the re-establishment of Franco-Spanish colonial rule. The death of some 25,000 Spanish soldiers, 27,000 French and some 30,000 Rif people. Besides, a part of Spanish society was upset and didn't understand the need of such a war, the society was divided.