Resistance of Chérif Boubeghla
The First Phase 1851- 1853:
During this phase, Ben Abd El-Malik Mohammed Al-Amjad did some preparations such as:
Identify the main targets that must be struck initially, including pro-colonial figures, French officers, or military stations.
localize strategic areas to take shelter in if necessary.
Inciting and mobilizing various Tribes to join him.
After finishing all the preparations, he declared the resistance by attacking one of France's helpers, Azib Ben Ali Cherif, leader of the Chellata marabout near Akbou on Mars 10, 1851. Causing panic and stress among the french forces stationed in Sour El-Ghozlane, as a comeback, they decided to establish a military center in Beni Mansour commanded by colonel Beaupre. According to some reports by Colonel Durrell, Ben Ali Cherif held the French authorities responsible for what had happened; since they could not protect him. Cherif Boubeghla's ambition did not stop here; Rather, he considered it necessary to eliminate Ben Ali Cherif. To that end, he called a meeting with Ben Yejar and Yaloula, and the Marabout of Ben Idris to study the situation. In reality, it was intended to win over new supporters in Yaloula or Samer.
They decided to attack Ben Ali Cherif in Chellata again, resulting in confrontation that caused ten deaths from his companions. This forced him to retreat to the village of Ebouzidin in Beni Mellikeceh, given the gravity of this move; french authorities assigned considerable forces led by officers and generals like Durrell, Blangy, Beaupre, Bosque, Daubeautel, and Cameau. After Chérif Bou Baghla's defeat in Chellata, he had to reorganize his forces and then attacked several French stations, making the village of Beni Mellikech his center of operations and attacks. Even with the victories he accomplished here and there he was forced; to leave the south region of the Djurdjura mountains. He settled down in the opposite region of the north in Ben Sedak, where he began inciting the inhabitants to join the resistance, he was able to win the compliance of the Maatkas tribe, Beni Mendes, Katshoula, Beni Koufi, Meshtres, Beni Boughrdan, Beni Ismail, and Frikat on august 18,1851. Bou Baghla was able to defeat the French army and its captain, Captain Becho, in a battle near Boughne. The colonial authorities responded with a month-long campaign led by General Pelissier, subjecting some tribes of the region, such as Beni Kofi, Boughne, and Beni Mandas. As a result, Bou Baghla decided to return to Beni Milikesh to win new supporters. To ease the blockade of some of the villages. He moved his activity to the coastal side with some revolutionary tribes in Bejaia. Before the end of 1851 most of the tribes answered his call. And that's what made France realize the difficulty of the task ahead. On 25 January 1852, the confrontation with French forces took place following the campaign organized by Bousque , in which around 3,000 French infantry members participated. Cherif Boubeghla's lines witnessed casualties. and the road between the Palace and Bajaya was opened which is the same one linking the region and the capital Algiers.
Bou Baghla continued to move from one village to another, trying to gather supporters and followers, until he struck Beaupre's troops at the Ouadhia area on 19 June 1852, during which he sustained injuries to his head. However, his followers continued to resist, led by some of his relatives, such as Mohamed Ben Masoud of Ouanougha and Ahmed Ben Bouzid of the Bourenane family, who belongs to Ouled Mokrane family.
The Second Phase 1853-1854:
During this year, Cherif Bou Baghla was able to renew the resistance. The conditions were created when the French authorities sent their armies into the Crimean War. He addressed the population: "The right time has come to expel France from Algeria because it has become weak, and only a small effort is required to throw it into the sea through which it came." However, Throughout this period, the area continued to live in a tense atmosphere, leading the French Governor-General to send a campaign led by Captain Wolf. In collusion with the Bashaaga Awqassi, French forces attacked Azazga, and Wolf stated in his report on the battle how Azazga's population vigorously defended their homes. The French authorities decided to carry out another military campaign led by General Randon in a letter he wrote dated 26 May 1854 in which he explained the objectives of the campaign: "My first objective is to strike the Beni Janad tribe, which in this last period has aided Cherif Boubghela, who should be punished; and whose punishment is a lesson to others, after which I turn my efforts to the other tribes located on Spui's right bank... Etc. "It seems clear that the campaign aimed to subdue the area of Djurdjura and the Beni Jandad tribe specifically. For this particular purpose, additional troops were taken from Oran and Algiers, led by General Camou; and from Constantine, led by General McMahon. The village of Azzib was the site where the battle was likely to take place therefore, it was the first target for French army strikes. Although it has a high level of defensive immunization due to its location, or the preparations of defense by its people, it has not withstood the French forces that have controlled it.Beni Jundad was fined for standing by Bou Baghla. The campaign was militarized in Boubher, a point close to the three tribes: Beni Yejar, Beni Yetoragh, and Beni Yahia General Randon's goal was to reach Beni Yahya, and he orchestrated a plan to deceive the tribes of the region about his desire to head to Beni Yejar who prepared themselves to repel his campaign. The campaign went to Bani Yahya. During this time there were 40 days of confrontations between the resistance and the French forces, which left 94 people dead and 593 wounded among the French, without mentioning the Algerian party's losses. At the time, Bou Baghla was wounded in the Marabout of Se Al-Arabi Cherif and was advised to leave the area. Indeed, Bou Baghla moved to Beni Yejar, then to Yallola then to Oumalo to Beni Yeni, and later to Beni Milikesh, where he returned to his activities, but sadly it did not last long before his death on December 26, 1854.
