The greatest battles of the National Liberation Army
1–Introduction
The National Liberation army achieved many continuous victories through the stages of the revolution, which had a significant and clear impact on the internal and the external levels. These victories varied between long battles that lasted for several days, quick ambushes, the operations to eliminate the traitors and the collaborators of the revolution. Furthermore, the battles of the liberation army that were spread across Algeria had shown fighting abilities mainly in gang wars that are based on the right selection of the settings, surprise factor, and to retreat at the right time. The revolution days were almost about only battles, because it was spread on all the historical cities including the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth state, and the eastern western zones in addition to the high leveled wars that the National Liberation army was conducting through sacrifice, genocide and infiltration of the two spiky and electric dams on the eastern western borders back and forth.
2–The first state:
This state experienced major battles, the most significant ones were: El-Djorf battles between September 22nd and 29th 1955, led by Bachir Chihani, Abbas Laghrour, and Adjel Adjoul and had an international renown, also the results of the attacks of August 20th 1955 were a support in the internalization of the Algerian matter. In this battle, France had lost a big army and expensive equipment, therefore, it taught about this battle at the Military College “Saint-Cyr” as a model of gang wars. Moreover, one of the greatest battles that had a strong significance was the battle of Argo mountain (Tebessa) led by the martyr Lazhar Cheriet in July 1956, in which Colonel Bigeard was shot next to his heart, so the colonization became weaker, so as its paratroopers coming from Indo-China. It is not possible to count the battles, ambushes and attacks of the state, however it can be limited to some of the battles of the Liberation army in the first state whose most famous leaders were: Mostefa Ben Boulaid, Chihani Bachir, Abbas Laghrour, Mohammed Al-Cherif, Mohammed Laamouri, Ahmad Nouaoura, El-Hadj Lakhdar, Tahar Zbiri.
3– The second state:
The second state was known for the attacks of August 20th 1955, that gave the revolution a new impetus and a big push forward and asserted the popularity of the Algerian revolution to everyone. It also had several battles in which the leaders of the state became martyrs, some of them were: Mourad Didouche and Zighoud Youcef. Zighoud was one of the senior leaders and organizers of the revolution, and the initiator of destroying the arrogance of the colon and the colonization’s pride, and while he was determined to go to the first state to do the same role and explain the Soummam conventions, he was ambushed by the colonization forces near Sidi Mezghiche in Skikda. Zighoud withstood with the small group he had facing big numbers of soldiers. He was eventually shot down in the field of honor on September 25th 1956 in a place named: Boukarkar Valley. We made an emphasis on him as he was the planifier and organizer of the August 20th 1955 events that destroyed the arrogance of the colonization, and ruined the Soustelle plans. We will mention some of the Liberation army battles in the second state to demonstrate the power of the revolution. Hence, the most famous leaders of the state were: Didouche Mourad, Zigoud Youcef, Abdullah Ben Tobal, Ali Kafi and Saleh Boubnider.
4– The third state:
The third state experienced fierce battles against the French enemy, and achieved major victories, then became an example of resilience. Adding to that the confrontation with the colonial forces, where the third state confronted the coutering forces of the revolution including the Ballounis movement that was positioned in the Moulouza village and caused harassment and assaults for the revolutionists and people altogether. Luckily, the liberation army faced it with persistence and prudence, when it required to eliminate the strife and radically remove the betrayal before it infiltrated the revolution, it subsequently surrounded the liberation army on May 28th 1957, then eliminated the supporters of the Ballounis movement. Its most prominent leaders were: Karim Belkacem, Mohammedi Said, and Amirouche who steadily led the battles of the liberation army in the third state . Moreover, the blueness operation was the most famous operation the third state had ever gone through, where many weapons were acquired, and the colonial plan that targeted the termination of the revolution in Kabylie was put to an end.
5– The fourth state:
This state was known for its strategic location since it was near the capital and connected between several cities, where there were constant battles in the mountains and the towns altogether, such as: the battle of Bouzegza mountain, the battle of Ouled Bou-Achra, the battle of Ouled Senan, the battle of Kef al-Akhdar, the battle of Beb-el-Bakoush mountain in 1958 in the west of Tiaret that was characterized by its height, so the Mujahideen turned it into their bastion especially that it was near the Wancharis and Sidi Daoued mountains. By the end of May 1958, the colonial forces made a zone sweep using aircrafts. The battle started on May 24th 1958 ,and it was estimated that the colonial forces had 8000 soldiers backed by combat aircrafts and helicopters, it lasted for 3 days and ended with the victory of the Mujahideen. Its most prominent leaders were: Rabah Bitat, Souidani Boudjemaa, Omar Bouamrane, Sadek Dehiles, and M'hamed Bougara who led the battles of the liberation army in the fourth state and had proven their ability to confront the colonization both in the countryside and the towns.
6–The fifth state :
The fifth state was characterized by its strategic and boundary location and its wide geographical area. It had senior leaders, such as: Ben M’hidi, Boussouf, Abdelmalek Ramdanen Houari Boumediene, and Lotfi, in which the battles and the ambushes lasted for the entire revolution, like the battle of Allour mountain on October 2nd 1956. Furthermore, this state was characterized by the establishment of the first National Guard School of Signal in August 1957 which was a two-edged sword and the basis for the establishment of the ministry of public relations and intelligence. Additionally, the colonel Lotfi was one the most prominent leaders of the state who played a significant role in facing the military Challe operations. In March 1960, he was blocked by the French forces led by General Challe and a group of Mujahideen including the commander Farraj in Bechar city.
Consequently, the confrontation ended with the martyrdom of Colonel Lotfi along with his agent Farraj on March 27th 1960. Subsequently, the leaders kept conducting the liberation army battles in the fifth state until the colonization army convoys were defeated, and Algeria triumphed.
7–The sixth state:
The sixth state was distinguished by the political and administrative organization of the units of the National Liberation Front because of its saharian nature firstly, and facing different adverse movements of the revolution. Furthermore, the secret Liberation Front adopted the infiltration among the people. It was also distinguished by combatting the economical and colonial structure especially against the oil and gas fields. Its most significant battles are the following: the battle of al-Qadah mountains, Boukhail, el-Karma, and Jeribi on September 17/18 1961 led by Mohammed Chaabani, and the battle was spread on the mountain which is a part of the range of Saharian Atlas mountains. Adding to the previous, the battle of Thamer mountain in which the two colonels Si el-Hawas, and Amirouche became martyrs. It also organized the escape of the Algerian soldiers to the enemy ranks to bring weapons and news. Furthermore, the leaders kept conducting the battles of the liberation army in the sixth state.
8–Statistics of the liberation army operations:
The battles of the revolution had known many losses and operations that are pointed out in the following schedules according to the statistics made by the French interests to compare with the Mujahideen statistics that were in the schedules of the battles. The titles of the schedules are the following:
–The Liberation Army operations against the colonial forces.
–The Liberation Army operations against the French centenarians.
–The Liberation Army operations against the centenarians’ private properties.
–The Liberation Army operations against the French public properties.
–The death toll of the Algerians loyal to France from special forces.
–The map of the Liberation army battles.
