Zaian War

Zaian War
Part of the French conquest of Morocco and the African theatre of World War I
Map showing the area in which the war was fought.
Date 1914 (1914)–1921 (1921) Location Morocco Result French victory
Belligerents
France French Morocco Army of Africa: Tirailleurs Spahis Moroccan Goumiers	Zaian Confederation Aït Ouirra Zawiya Darqawiyya Supported by: Ottoman Empire (Until 1916)  German Empire (Until 1918)
Commanders and leaders
Louis-Hubert Lyautey Paul Prosper Henrys Joseph-François Poeymirau	Mouha ou Hammou Zayani  Moha ou Said Ali Amhaouch #
Strength
95,000 French troops in all of Morocco in 1921[1]	Up to 4,200 tents (approximately 21,000 people) of Zaians at the start of the war[2]
Casualties and losses
French dead in the Middle Atlas to 1933:[3] 82 French officers 700 European regulars 1,400 African regulars 2,200 goumiers and partisans

The Zaian (or Zayan) War was fought between France and the Zaian Confederation of Berber tribes in Morocco between 1914 and 1921 during the French conquest of Morocco. Morocco had become a French protectorate in 1912, and Resident-General Louis-Hubert Lyautey sought to extend French influence eastwards through the Middle Atlas mountains towards French Algeria. This was opposed by the Zaians, led by Mouha ou Hammou Zayani. The war began well for the French, who quickly took the key towns of Taza and Khénifra. Despite the loss of their base at Khénifra, the Zaians inflicted heavy losses on the French, who responded by establishing groupes mobiles, combined arms formations that mixed regular and irregular infantry, cavalry and artillery into a single force.

The outbreak of the First World War proved significant, with the withdrawal of troops for service in France compounded by the loss of more than 600 French killed at the Battle of El Herri. Lyautey reorganised his available forces into a "living barricade", consisting of outposts manned by his best troops protecting the perimeter of French territory with lower quality troops manning the rear-guard positions. Over the next four years the French retained most of their territory despite intelligence and financial support provided by the Central Powers to the Zaian Confederation and continual raids and skirmishes reducing scarce French manpower.

After the signing of the Armistice with Germany in November 1918, significant forces of tribesmen remained opposed to French rule. The French resumed their offensive in the Khénifra area in 1920, establishing a series of blockhouses to limit the Zaians' freedom of movement. They opened negotiations with Hammou's sons, persuading three of them, along with many of their followers, to submit to French rule. A split in the Zaian Confederation between those who supported submission and those still opposed led to infighting and the death of Hammou in Spring 1921. The French responded with a strong, three-pronged attack into the Middle Atlas that pacified the area. Some tribesmen, led by Moha ou Said, fled to the High Atlas and continued a guerrilla war against the French well into the 1930s.