Spahis and Keblouti Resistance
Introduction:
The resistance in Souk Ahras was one of the popular resistances led by Spahis, and Mohammed Keblouti from Hanancha joined them, spreading and affecting the tribes of Hanancha in Souk Ahras. While the causes of the Spahis uprising are numerous, they pour into the crucible of popular resistances, whose demands have varied.
Reasons Behind the Resistance in the Souk Ahras region:
The outbreak of this uprising is due to a decision announced by the French minister of war on 18 January 1871, stating that several Spahis forces recruited in the French army, will be sent to Europe to fight with France in its war against Prussia at the beginning of 1871. The Spahis did not accept this, so they rebelled against him; the start was from the regions where they were located, like: Mdjeber in Titteri province, El Tarf in the east, Bouhadjar, And Ain Ketar to cover all the eastern borders especially Souk Ahras region.
The deportation was not the only reason for the outbreak of the Spahis resistance; the deplorable condition they suffered from was another reason pushing them. It also urged many of them to run from their centers, starting from Medjber center in Titteri by the end of 1870, this affected the Igawawen group causing the escape of 75 equipped soldiers from Boghar to Medea and Ksar Boukhari. In Ain Kettar east Souk Ahras, 135 Spahis armed soldiers escaped. The Spahis rejection of the compulsory deportation decision gave them more courage to rebel, and increased the number of armed fugitives reaching 2000 spahis. They were able to assemble themselves, and had the help of their families in their movements. This was a window of opportunity for the Hanancha, who were discontent with the colonial policy applied in their region, so they expanded the reach of their Intifada.
Keblouti’s Role in the Resistance:
After the Spahis movement, the retaliation circle expanded around the colonial authorities. The Hanancha tribes found the opportunity to express their rejection of the French colonialism through the collective accession, led by a Group of Hanancha leaders like Cheikh Ahmed Saleh Ben Razki and Fodeel Ben Razki; when Mohammed Keblouti joined, the uprising reached the peak of its power affecting several areas putting the French’s departments in danger.
This collective Intifada was marked by the first military action, of killing one of the officers and setting fire to the farms of the settlers living in Souk Ahras and nearby areas, nine of the “ Pieds-Noir” were prosecuted on 26 January 1871, and they were also able to siege the city for three days and prevent any help; the mujahideen ruined the telephone wires so that the military forces in Guelma will not be able to send support to Souk Ahras. The role of Mohammed Keblouti in this uprising stood out when he fought fierce battles with the Spahis and The Hananacha tribes like the battle of Ain Seynour on 30th January of the same year. However, the colonial forces increased their attempts to destroy the Intifada and pushed Keblouti, the Spahis, and the Hanancha to flee to Tunisia mid-February 1871. Keblouti wrote to the Prime Minister of Tunisia, Mustafa Khaznadar, to guarantee him protection and the Spahis who were with him. But he did not take the Tunisian authorities' orders seriously to stop his jihadist activity against the French, so he doesn't embarrass them before the French authorities. He participated in many battles, especially after the outbreak of the resistance of Mohammad El-Mekrani and Cheikh al-Haddad, including one on 24 June 1871 and another on 30 August of the same year. The Keblouti remained in constant contact with the resistance, including Bennaceur Benchohra.
French reaction to resistance:
France's method of suppressing popular resistance continued by using all available means. The first reaction of the French was to refer those arrested from Spahis and Hanancha to the military courts, where several different judgements were handed down. The hardest was the death sentence carried out by French soldiers in the public square in the city of Souk Ahras Some were sentenced to hard labor and exile to remote French prisons. In addition to confiscating the property and land of the Hanancha's tribes, the colonial action did not stop there, but their forces took some of the resistance's families as hostage until they surrendered, let alone burning houses and destroying property.
