The Rif War was an armed conflict between 1921 and 1927 fought between the Kingdom of Spain and the Republic of the Rif. It resulted in a Spanish victory after the Rifian forces were routed on May 8th, 1927.
Background[]
The Spanish Protectorate of Morocco was established on March 30th, 1912, after the Rif region was ceded from France in the Fez Treaty. Later in February of 1913, the formal occupation of the territory began with the peaceful occupation of Tetouan by the Spanish general Felipe Alfau Mendoza. In that year, 50,000 Spanish soldiers were located on this territory. Much later, in January of 1920, Manuel Fernández Silvestre assumes command of the General Command of Melilla.
1920[]
Spanish expedition[]
In 1920, Spain began its expedition into eastern territory, owned by the Jibala tribes. In the following months, they advanced on Riffian territory, including: Dar-Drius, Abbada, Chaif, Tafersit, Midar, Bu-Hafora, Xauen, and Mount Mauro. Also, the Tercio de Extranjeros was officially founded on August 31st.
1921[]
The disaster of Annual[]
On January 12th, Spanish forces landed in Afrau. They continued their advances by occupying Annual on February 17th, then landing on Sidi Idris on March 12th. On June, Silvestre ordered to occupy Mount Abarrán. Abd el-Krim warned Fernández, not to cross the Amekran river or else he would die, but Silvestre ignored this warning. Krim allowed their forces to continue since he knew it would overextend their supply line. This resulted in the disaster of Annual, between July 22nd and August 9th, in which Krim's forces defeated Silvestre's, killing the general and over 13,000 Spanish soldiers. They also pushed Spain back to 1909 borders, before Spanish expansion in the Rif region.
Abd el-Krim's forces had the chance to attack Melilla but chose not to by Krim's orders, fearing intervention from European countries if any of their citizens came to harm. Krim later said that he regretted the decision. Meanwhile, due to the disaster of Annual, support for the abandonistas grew steadily, mutineers broke out in Morocco, soldiers in Málaga refused to board the ships that were to take them to Morocco and leftists began to burn Spanish flags in Barcelona while mounting the banner of the Rif tribesmen. Riots also broke out in the streets and the parliament, demanding an investigation on the conduct of the Spanish government, army, and even Alfonso XIII.
1922[]
Mild developments[]
On January 8th, Berenguer's forces reached Dar Drius, reconquering their major fort at Mount Arruit. Later in September, Ricardo Burguete made a treaty with El Raisuni where he became a pseudo viceroy. The Spanish withdrew from the area. On October 28th, the Spanish Legion conquered Tizzi Azza. Since the Rifian forces consolidated themselves in the inland mountains, a stalemate was reached so there were few advances this year and the following.
1923[]
Rivera's coup[]
In March 1923, in the midst of the Spanish-led Rif War in Spanish Morocco, Zaian tribes in Central Morocco started to take up arms against the Germans. The revolt was crushed around early summer. With several of their leaders fleeing into Rif-controlled territory, however, German alarm is raised significantly.
After the coup of Miguel Primo de Rivera in September, German-Spanish relations grow much closer, which eventually encourages Germany to actively intervene in the Rif War in what would become the first German military engagement since the end of the Weltkrieg, partly to strengthen their ally Rivera in Spain, but also in no small part due to fears of the Rif Republic turning into an ally of Syndicalist France and a threat for German Morocco, a fear further fuelled by more and more French equipment turning up in the hands of the Rif revolutionaries, despite official French neutrality in the conflict. The decision is highly controversial among the still majority anti-war-minded population.
in June, Peña Tahuarda was overrun by the Spanish and Tizzi Azza fell completely to Spanish hands. Later in August, Franco's forces liberated the position of Tifaruin, close to Melilla.
On September 13th, Miguel Primo de Rivera staged a coup with a march on Madrid and then issuing a manifesto, looking to restore order in Spain. Alfonso XIII later named him Prime Minister. A series of changes followed after martial law was declared, with Spanish bureaucracy systemically purged. hostile civil servants were replaced with loyal officers and sympathetic businessmen, while the Cortes disbanded, and a Supreme Directory headed by Rivera was established to govern the country.
1924[]
A joint Spanish-German attack crushes the bulk of the Rif forces, and the Rif Republic is soon forced to surrender. Abd el-Krim, leader of the Rif Republic, and his closest family and allies manage to surrender to the Germans rather than the Spanish, who would have probably had them executed. Germany exiles Abdelkrim to Reunion, despite the Spanish wanting him handed over.